Collection
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American Art

Portrait of Elizabeth Stirling Foote

Thomas Seir Cummings

1 of 2

Object Label

In keeping with the emotional symbolism of miniatures, couples frequently exchanged these tokens to mark an engagement or wedding, as was the case for Elizabeth Stirling (1811–1900) and Erasmus Darwin Foote (1808–1866), who married in March 1833. (Accession no. 16.687.2, in Drawer 47A, is the companion miniature.) The artist, Thomas Seir Cummings of New York, was the most famous miniaturist of his day and also taught and published on the subject. Contemporary critics praised his works for their ability to “raise sensations in the bosoms of those who gaze on them.”

Caption

Thomas Seir Cummings (American, born England, 1804–1894). Portrait of Elizabeth Stirling Foote, 1832. Watercolor on ivory portrait in brass locket with glass lenses on both sides, Image (sight): 2 11/16 x 2 3/16 in. (6.8 x 5.6 cm) Frame: 3 x 2 5/8 in. (7.6 x 6.7 cm) Frame (height with loop): 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm) Case: 4 3/16 x 3 1/8 x 1 in. (10.6 x 7.9 x 2.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Collection Fund, 16.687.1. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Gallery

Not on view

Collection

American Art

Title

Portrait of Elizabeth Stirling Foote

Date

1832

Medium

Watercolor on ivory portrait in brass locket with glass lenses on both sides

Classification

Portrait, Miniatures

Dimensions

Image (sight): 2 11/16 x 2 3/16 in. (6.8 x 5.6 cm) Frame: 3 x 2 5/8 in. (7.6 x 6.7 cm) Frame (height with loop): 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm) Case: 4 3/16 x 3 1/8 x 1 in. (10.6 x 7.9 x 2.5 cm)

Signatures

Signed in pencil on verso: "Cummings Pinx.t; dated 1832."

Credit Line

Museum Collection Fund

Accession Number

16.687.1

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Artists and makers

Thomas Seir Cummings

2 works in the collection