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Catalog Data

Artist:
Cephas Thompson, 1 Jul 1775 - 6 Nov 1856  Search this
Former attribution:
John Vanderlyn, 15 Oct 1775 - 23 Sep 1852  Search this
Sitter:
Elizabeth Washington Gamble Wirt, 30 Jan 1784 - 24 Jan 1857  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
Frame: 111.1 x 94.6 x 6.4cm (43 3/4 x 37 1/4 x 2 1/2")
Type:
Painting
Date:
c. 1809-10
Exhibition Label:
Born Richmond, Virginia
Elizabeth Washington Gamble, daughter of Robert and Catherine Gamble of Richmond, Virginia, became William Wirt’s second wife in 1802. They inherited a house in Richmond in 1808, around the time these portraits were painted. Originally in the rectangular format typical of Cephas Thompson’s work, the paintings were later trimmed to their present oval shape and reframed.
Elizabeth Wirt was highly educated. She later utilized her knowledge of Latin to prepare a manuscript of favorite quotations about flowers, which she published anonymously as Flora’s Dictionary in 1829. The book contributed to the popularization of floriography, the language of flowers in which specific meanings are attributed to different blooms. Subsequent editions identified the author as “Mrs. E. W. Wirt of Virginia.”
Topic:
Interior  Search this
Elizabeth Washington Gamble Wirt: Female  Search this
Elizabeth Washington Gamble Wirt: Literature\Writer  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Object number:
S/NPG.89.12
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location:
Currently not on view
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm457f091d1-0882-4bbe-8ce6-72685a4da92a
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_S_NPG.89.12