Mrs. Joseph Cooper (Mary Justice) 1797

James Peale painted this miniature portrait of Mrs. Joseph Cooper, also known as Mary Justice, in the United States, though the exact date is unknown. Peale came from a family of artists during the American Revolution. The creation of miniature portraits was, in its own way, a democratizing force in art. Before photography, portraiture was largely limited to the wealthy, but miniatures made it more accessible. The frame suggests that this portrait was meant to be worn or carried, and would have served as a token of affection or remembrance. Mrs. Cooper's dress and bonnet are indicative of middle-class status in the early American Republic. Such images remind us that art is not just about aesthetics. It is about social relationships, economic structures, and the ways in which people seek to represent themselves and their loved ones. Historians rely on an array of documents, from account books to diaries, to reconstruct the world in which these images were made and circulated, and to understand their significance for the people who commissioned and viewed them.