Mrs. John Nicholson (Hannah Duncan) and John Nicholson, Jr. 1790

Charles Willson Peale painted "Mrs. John Nicholson (Hannah Duncan) and John Nicholson, Jr." at the turn of the 19th century. As a portraitist, Peale captured members of the emerging American upper class, like Hannah Duncan Nicholson and her son. Portraits such as this reflect the values of the new republic. The image presents the domestic sphere as central to society. Hannah is depicted as a picture of republican motherhood, instilling virtue and civic responsibility in her son. Yet, the emotional tenor of this piece is interesting. Is it the stoicism of mother and child or the fashionably mournful color palette that lends to the subjects an air of melancholy? The somewhat disquieting, doll-like quality of the child in the context of extremely high infant mortality rates at the time further imbues this image with a sense of vulnerability and loss. Ultimately, this portrait transcends mere representation, inviting us to contemplate the complexities of motherhood, mortality, and identity in early America.