Portrait of Margaret Ann Mariam Talbot Smoot
Dateca. 1830
MediumOil on wood panel
Credit LineGift of Elizabeth Schusser
Object number2024-246,A&B
DescriptionPortrait of a young woman in a blue dress with white lace trim along the sleeves and neckline. She is seated on a red upholstered sofa and holding a feather fan. Her hair is pulled up into several large rolls and accessorized with a tortoise shell comb in the back.Inscription(s)"TALBOT" is stenciled twice across the reverse of the wood panel. Additionally, in the center of the wood panel, a barely legible inscription is preserved under mylar. It appears to read, "Captn. J. Smoot" in the top line and below is completely illegible.Mark(s)Two pieces of paper are adhered to the reverse of the wood panel. One smaller piece of paper reads, "Portrait of Margaret Smoot of Alexandria VA 1/2 sister of Diana Talbot." The second piece is a xerox copy of a notebook entry detailing two properties owned by the Talbots - The Monroe Building at no. 757 Granby St and 118, 120, 122, & 124 Water Street. It is noted that both properties were in the Talbot family until 1936. At the bottom of the copy is a pencil inscription which reads, "Margaret Ann Marian Talbot. Daughter of Kader Talbot m. Smoot, one child Victoria Smoot died at age 10. 1878 Kader died?"Provenanceca. 1830, the sitter, Margaret Ann Mariam Talbot Smoot [1813-1838] (Washington D.C.); by 1851, to her half-sister, Diana Talbot Talbot [1785-1865] (Norfolk, VA); By 1950, descended in the Talbot family of Talbot Hall, Norfolk, VA to Caroline Brackenridge Talbot [1925-2024] (Williamsburg, VA); 2024, given to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA).
Lyman Parks (formerly known as the Wilkinson Limner) (active ca. 1824-ca. 1830)
Probably 1827-1830
ca. 1795
