Minneapolis Institute of Art

Portrait of Harriet Brown

Sheldon Peck

Date

c. 1845

Medium

Oil on panel

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This portrait reveals a serious woman whose modest dress is devoid of frivolous accessories. Her only finery is a delicately woven and embroidered shawl. Her arm rests on a Bible, suggesting that her reserved demeanor reflects a religious disposition. Sheldon Peck embarked on a career in painting in his native Vermont. How he acquired his artistic skill is not known, but he likely was self-taught. He traveled around the Midwest in search of clients to paint, most of whom were average men and women who sought an affordable means of documenting their lives. United States, Americas

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