Early American Faces
On view in the Ronald L. and Mary J. Hurst Gallery
From the very beginning, American society was composed of people from many different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Some were born here, some immigrated of their own accord, and some were forced here in the bonds of slavery. In this compact exhibition guests will encounter faces that represent some of the cultures and populations whose works are on view throughout the facility. Portraits include an American Indian man, an enslaved child, a wife and mother of six, and George Washington, among others.
Portrait of an Enslaved Girl by Mary Anna Randolph Custis, Arlington County, Virginia, watercolor, pencil, and ink on wove paper, 1830. Museum Purchase. 2007-34,1.
Portrait of an American Indian Man by Unidentified Artist, London, England, oil on canvas, ca. 1790. Museum Purchase. 2005-84.
Portrait of George Washington by Charles Willson Peale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, oil on linen ticking, 1780. Gift of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. 1933-502,A&B.
Portrait of Jerusha Bradford Weston attributed to Rufus Hathaway, Duxbury, Massachusetts, oil on canvas, probably 1793. Museum Purchase. 1973.100.7.
Delve into our Exhibitions Online
Explore our Online Collections to learn more about The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's vast collections of fine, decorative, mechanical, and folk art.
