Miss Anna Powell Mason 1804 - 1805

Gilbert Stuart painted Miss Anna Powell Mason using oil on canvas, a medium that had become very established by the late 18th century. What’s remarkable to consider, though, is the amount of labor, skill, and natural resources that portraiture absorbed. Think of it: the flax grown for the canvas, the trees felled for the stretcher bars, the mining of the pigments that give the painting its hues, all before the artist even began. Then there’s the labor, the skill to grind the pigments into paint, the knowledge of how to prime and prepare the canvas, and of course the ability to capture a likeness. Stuart's portraits often convey a superficial gloss of elite life, but a closer look reveals the vast network of production that underpins any artwork. This recognition challenges distinctions between fine art and craft.