Portrait of Adelia Ellender

Joshua Johnson, Portrait of Adelia Ellender, ca. 1803-1805, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Robbins, 1983.95.55
Copied Joshua Johnson, Portrait of Adelia Ellender, ca. 1803-1805, oil on canvas, 26 1421 18 in. (66.753.7 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Robbins, 1983.95.55
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of Adelia Ellender
Date
ca. 1803-1805
Dimensions
26 1421 18 in. (66.753.7 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Robbins
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Portrait female — Ellender, Adelia
  • Portrait female — child
Object Number
1983.95.55

Artwork Description

Adelia Ellender lived in Baltimore, Maryland, where her father was a plasterer. Her dress follows the custom in this period of portraying children as miniature adults. The berries in her hand and the butterfly hovering in a rosebush nearby symbolize not only her childhood innocence but her eventual transformation into a lady.