{"product_id":"mary-polly-lawton-bringhurst-james-peale","title":"Mary (Polly) Lawton Bringhurst - James Peale","description":"\u003cp\u003eA delicate 1799 portrait miniature by James Peale, capturing Mary (Polly) Lawton Bringhurst in watercolour on ivory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis portrait miniature by James Peale depicts Mary (Polly) Lawton Bringhurst, a work executed in 1799. Peale, a member of a prominent family of American painters, specialised in these small-scale portraits, which were often commissioned as personal tokens of affection or remembrance. The medium of watercolour on ivory allowed for a delicate application of pigment, enabling the artist to capture subtle gradations of light and shadow across the subject's face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sitter is presented in a modest cap and fichu, typical of the period's fashion for women of the American merchant class. Peale employs a restrained palette, focusing on the soft textures of the fabric and the direct, steady gaze of the subject. The oval format, housed within a gold frame, is characteristic of the period's preference for portable portraiture. Such works were frequently worn as jewellery or kept in private collections, serving as intimate records of family members.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTechnically, the work demonstrates Peale's proficiency with stippling and fine brushwork. The background is rendered in muted, atmospheric tones, which push the figure forward and provide a sense of depth despite the small surface area. The artist's signature and date are visible on the right side of the miniature, confirming its provenance to the final year of the eighteenth century. This piece offers a clear view into the social history of the early American republic, where the portrait miniature functioned as a primary mode of visual documentation for the middle and upper classes. The preservation of the original gold mount further adds to the historical value of the object, maintaining the context in which it was intended to be viewed and handled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/neo-classical-vases-in-a-landscape-jean-charles-delafosse\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eNeo-classical Vases in a Landscape - Jean Charles Delafosse — Jean Charles Delafosse\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/a-grecian-lovely-john-william-godward\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eA Grecian Lovely - John William Godward — John William Godward\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"James Peale","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58982362546511,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58982371131727,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58982371164495,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58982371197263,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58982371230031,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58982371262799,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58982371295567,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58982371328335,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58982371361103,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58982371393871,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58982371426639,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58982371459407,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Mary-Polly-Lawton-Bringhurst_Poster_CompositorV1_1790912750295.jpg?v=1790913023","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/mary-polly-lawton-bringhurst-james-peale","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}