“Mrs. Ebenezer Storer (Mary Edwards)” is a distinguished portrait rendered by John Singleton Copley between the years 1767 and 1769. Created using pastel on paper, the artwork is a quintessential example of the Neoclassical art movement. The dimensions of the piece are 45.7 by 61 cm, and it falls within the portrait genre.
The artwork depicts a dignified woman adorned in period attire. She is portrayed with a sense of solemnity and grace, wearing a bonnet and a scarf tied neatly under her chin. The use of pastel medium allows for nuanced textures and subtle gradations in color, which bring lifelike depth to her facial features and clothing. The somber, dark background contrasts with the subject’s pale face and the detailed shading of her garments, emphasizing her calm and composed demeanor. The meticulous details and realistic representation exhibit Copley’s mastery in portraiture, reflecting both the Neoclassical ideals and the distinct character of the subject.
