Hannah Crocker Bowles Wolff (Mrs. Phillip Wolff) (1827-1872) 1850

Editor: This is Richard Morrell Staigg's portrait of Hannah Crocker Bowles Wolff, a watercolor miniature. It feels so intimate, like a glimpse into a private world. How do you interpret this work in terms of its historical context? Curator: It's a beautiful example of 19th-century portraiture. But I'm more interested in what the portrait signifies about the sitter's identity and social standing. How does her representation here reinforce or challenge societal expectations for women of that era? Editor: So, you're suggesting it's not just a likeness, but a statement? Curator: Precisely. Consider her gaze, her attire, the overall composition. How do these elements contribute to a narrative about her position within a patriarchal society? It raises questions about power, representation, and the female gaze. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered before! It's amazing how much a small portrait can reveal.