Portrait of Theoda Williams Davis (1764-1834)

In this elegant depiction of Mrs. Aaron Davis, neé Theoda Williams (1764–1834), we see a woman of style and refinement. The wife of a wealthy and prominent businessman in Roxbury, Massachusetts, she was known as a wonderful hostess, devoted to society. Mrs. Davis is turned towards the viewer, her face bearing an expression of dignified restraint. Her sharp, dark eyes disclose intelligence. The empire-style dress and Grecian headband she wears are typical of the neoclassical style that was popular in the early days of our nation when Americans were looking to Greek and Roman models of government and art. The style of painting, with its loose brushwork and masterful use of unmixed colors, is typical of Gilbert Stuart. His style, a new trend in American portraiture, can be contrasted with the controlled brushwork and rigid poses of the earlier American portraits in this gallery. Stuart was the first American painter to be acknowledged as a master in his own time. His unique talent lay in recording the precise likeness of his subjects while also capturing their personality. Stuart studied and worked in Britain from 1775 to 1793, where he became an established and acclaimed portraitist. Upon his return to America, he received commissions from many prominent individuals, including the first five presidents. He is especially known for his numerous portraits of George Washington. Stuart also executed a companion portrait of Mr. Aaron Davis, now in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, at the same time as this work. The two originally hung together, husband and wife facing each other.