Mrs.John Murray (Lucretia Chandler) 1763

John Singleton Copley painted Mrs. John Murray, or Lucretia Chandler, using oil on canvas. The artist's career began in colonial Boston before the American Revolution, a time when social hierarchies were pronounced, and portraiture served as a powerful marker of status. Lucretia’s elegant dress and poised demeanor speaks to her position within this hierarchy. The lace detailing and the backdrop of classical architecture are visual cues that tell us of her family’s wealth. Yet, the painting goes beyond a simple display of affluence. Consider Lucretia's gaze, which meets ours directly, creating a sense of intimacy. Copley was known for capturing the character of his sitters, which often challenged the more staid conventions of portraiture. How much agency did women like Lucretia have in shaping their own image, and to what extent were they bound by societal expectations? In contemplating this piece, we can see it as a negotiation between personal identity and social role, inviting us to consider the complex lives of women in colonial America.