The artwork titled “Portrait of Mrs. Barbara Baker Murphy” was created by Joshua Johnson in 1810 using oil on canvas. This piece is representative of the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and falls under the genre of portrait painting. Currently, the artwork is housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, US.
The artwork presents a meticulously rendered portrait of a woman clad in an early 19th-century attire. Her clothing, composed of a blue dress with a sheer, white ruffled collar, is complemented by a headpiece featuring delicate lace. The subject’s expression is serene, with soft, delicate features and slightly flushed cheeks. Around her neck, she dons a black necklace with a brooch-like pendant, which adds a touch of elegance to her appearance. The background is dark and simple, allowing the viewer to focus entirely on the woman’s face and attire, highlighting the artist’s attention to detail and the simplicity characteristic of the Naïve Art movement.
