Portrait Head of a Young Girl n.d.

Elizabeth Murray made this delicate head and shoulder portrait of a young girl in watercolor on paper. Given that the artist was born in 1815, it's reasonable to place this work somewhere in the mid-19th century. Portraiture was then becoming increasingly democratized. Rising prosperity meant that more families than ever could afford to have likenesses of themselves and their children created, and watercolor was an accessible medium for a wider range of artists and patrons. Though we don't have specific information on the young sitter, her dress and hairstyle suggest a middle-class background. Murray’s choice to focus solely on the girl's head and shoulders, set against a blank background, emphasizes her innocence and purity, values that were particularly cherished during the Victorian era. The light, soft colors further contribute to this idealized image of childhood. To fully understand the portrait's significance, scholars consult period sources like etiquette manuals, fashion plates, and demographic records to enrich our understanding of how gender and class shaped the production and consumption of art in this period.