The Library Company's ongoing Portraits of American Women project identifies portraits that appeared in books and periodicals before 1861 and makes them accessible online. In antebellum America, before the development of photomechanical image reproduction, such portraits represented a significant investment of time and money.

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Accurate view of the room in which the murders were committed.
Full-length portraits of the victims in the parlor. The illustration depicts the scene of the crime the morning after the murders. Mrs. Honora Shaw, closest to the door, lies on her back with her arms flailed upward. Mrs. Ellen Lynch lies across the room, barefoot and on her side., In The Life and adventures of Arthur Spring; the murderer of Mrs. Ellen Lynch and Mrs. Honora Shaw (Philadelphia, 1853), p. 53., Mrs. Ellen Lynch and Mrs. Honora Shaw were murdered by Mr. Arthur Spring, whom they had grown up with in Ireland, on the night of March 10th, 1853. Mr. Spring murdered the sisters in the home that they shared in an attempt to rob them of less than one hundred dollars.
Adams, Abigail, 1744-1818.
In Griswold, R.W. The Republican Court, or, American society in the days of Washington. New and rev. ed. (New York, 1856), plate opposite p. 169., Three-quarter length portrait of Mrs. Adams seated in front of a fireplace mantel and vase filled with flowers, holding flowers in her right hand, wearing a full dress and pearl necklace.
Adams, Hannah, 1755-1831.
In Adams, H.M. Memoir of Miss Hannah Adams (Boston, 1832), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Your friend Hannah Adams., Three-quarter length portrait of the writer, seated holding an open book.
Adams, Louisa Catherine, 1775-1852.
In The national portrait gallery of distinguished Americans (Philadelphia 1840), v.4, plate opposite entry. Also appears in other editions of this title. Note that by the 1852 edition fewer portraits of women are included. This portrait is included., Facsimile signature: Louisa Catherine Adams., Three-quarter length portrait of Mrs. Adams, wearing necklace and decorative hair comb, holding glove, with draped lace shawl; seated by window., Another portrait appears in an untitled plate containing five separate portraits, Godey’s lady’s book 45 (August, 1852), frontispiece.
Alexander Anderson and Henry Richards in the act of murdering
In Rockafield, H. A. The Manheim tragedy (Lancaster, 1858), back wrapper., Anderson and Richards were hanged at Lancaster, Pa., April 9, 1858., Full-length view of the women struggling with their assailant, one of whom holds a pistol and the other an axe.
Alice, d. 1802.
Bust-length portrait of Alice, wearing a bonnet., In Thomas, Isaiah. Eccentric biography; or, Memoirs of remarkable female characters, ancient and modern (Worcester, 1804), plate preceding p. vii., Alice, known variously as Black Alice and Alice of Dunk’s Ferry, was a native of Philadelphia and a slave, born to parents who had come from Barbados. She is said to have been 116 at the time of her death in 1802. In extreme old age Alice received many visitors who enjoyed hearing stories about early Philadelphia and its famous first settlers, including William Penn and Thomas Logan. Alice was also a lifelong worshiper at Christ Church in Philadelphia., “Being a sensible intelligent woman, and having a good memory, which she retained to the last, she would often make judicious remarks on the population and improvements of the city and country; hence her conversation became peculiarly interesting, especially to the immediate descendents of the first settlers, of whose ancestors she often related acceptable anecdotes.”--P. 9.
Allen, Eliza Crosby, 1803-1848.
In The Mothers' journal, and Family visitant, v. 14, no. 3 (March, 1849), plate opposite p. 69., Facsimile signature: With very great respect Sir, Truly Yours Eliza C. Allen., Waist-length portrait of Mrs. Allen, wearing bonnet; with a bookcase in the background.
Allen, Myra W. (Myra Wood), 1800-1831.
In Mann, Rev. C.M. Memoir of Mrs. Myra W. Allen (Boston, 1832), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Myra W. Allen., Myra Allen served as a missionary in Bombay, India, with her husband, David O. Allen., Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Allen.
Alston, Theodosia, 1783-1813.
Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Alston in profile., In Davis, Matthew L. Memoirs of Aaron Burr, with miscellaneous selections from his correspondence (New York, 1837), vol. 2, frontispiece., Mrs. Alston was the daughter of vice president Aaron Burr and wife of Joseph Alston, a member of a prominent South Carolina planting family., Another portrait appears in: Grimes, J. Stanley. A new system of phrenology (Buffalo, 1839), plate preceding p. 289.
Amelia, 1819-1852.
In Read, T.B. Female poets of America (Philadelphia, 1849), plate opposite p. 225, Facsimile signature: Amelia B. Welby, Waist-length portrait of the writer.
Andrew Hellman murdering his wife
In Serious almanac, 1845-’46 (1845), p. [16]., Andrew Hellman (1792-1843), also known as Adam Horn, was convicted of killing and then dismembering his wife in November 1843., Full-length portraits of the pair struggling, with the husband holding the wife down on the floor., The same image appears in The Tragic almanac 1850 (New York, 1849), p. [5].
Attempt of a husband to burn his wife.
In Tragic almanac 1843 (New York, 1842), p. [28]., According to the accompanying article, Mary Bird said her husband “gave me no reason for doing it, except he was drunk.”, Probably a fictitious character., Full-length portrait of the victim (Mary Bird), tied to a chair and engulfed in flames.
Austin, John, Mrs.
In Chapin, J.R. The historical picture gallery (Boston, 1856), p. 359., Full-length portrait of the frontier wife, kneeling behind a fence with a rifle aimed at a bear in her dooryard; a pig runs away from them. According to the text, the rifle failed to discharge, which was fortuitous because a wounded bear would have been even more dangerous; the bear returned to the woods. Possibly Isabella W. Austin (1826-1901), of Geneva, Ohio.
Bache, Sarah Franklin, 1743-1808.
In Ellet, E. F. The women of the American revolution (New York, 1848) v.1, plate opposite p. 332., Facsimile signature: S Bache., Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Bache, wearing a bonnet., Another portraits appears in: Jones, A.D. The American portrait gallery (New York, 1855), p. [461].
Bailey, Anna Warner, 1758-1851
In Chapin, J.R. The historical picture gallery (Boston, 1856), p. 503., Full-length portrait of the heroine of the War of 1812, passing a garment to a seated man; Mother Bailey was known to have donated her petticoat for wadding.
Bailey, Anne Hennis, 1742-1825
In Chapin, J.R. The historical picture gallery (Boston, 1856), p. 155., Full-length portrait of the wilderness woman astride a galloping horse; she looks over her left shoulder, with a whip held high in her right hand; her clothing does not identify her as male or female.
Baldwin, Henry, Mrs.
In The American book of beauty, or, Token of friendship (Hartford, 1847?), frontispiece. Note: plate appears preceding p. [5] in later issue., Another portrait appears in: The Family circle and parlor annual (New York, 1850), plate preceding p. [153]., Three-quarter length portrait of Mrs. Baldwin, seated holding a child on her right hip and a handkerchief in her left hand; she is wearing fingerless lace mitts (i.e., gloves)., Fictitious person? Original sitter identified as Mrs. Henry Bathurst; cf. Heath's Book of beauty, 1838.
Barrow, Julia Bennett, b. 1824.
In Ballou's pictorial drawing-room companion, v. 10, no. 20 (Boston, May 17, 1856), p. 305., Another portrait appears in: Ballou's pictorial drawing-room companion, v. 10, no. 19 (Boston, May 10, 1856), p. 300., Full-length portrait of Barrow, wearing an elaborately decorated Native American costume and holding a spear, with dwellings in a natural setting in the background.
Bartlett, Fanny Lamson, 1799-1859.
In Phelps, A.A. The life of Mrs. Fanny L. Bartlett (Boston, 1860), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: I remain yours truly F.L. Bartlett., Mrs. Bartlett was the wife of Dr. Oliver C. Bartlett, a physician and lay preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Cf. Widmann, R.D. "'Lost in the immensity of God': A pre-Civil War Methodist woman's experience of the presence and power of God," Methodist history 25:3 (April 1987), 164-75., Three-quarter portrait of Mrs. Bartlett, seated, wearing a bonnet and a shawl.
Bateman sisters
In Gleason’s pictorial drawing-room companion, vol. 1, no. 28 (Nov. 8, 1851), p. 440., Full-length portraits of the child actresses Kate and Ellen Bateman in costume for their appearance in Bombastes furioso, Kate in the role of King Artaxaminous (?).
Beckie and Bessie
In Kerlin, I.N. The mind unveiled (Philadelphia, 1858), plate opposite p. 15., Three-quarter portrait of eight-year-old Beckie standing next to full-length seated portrait of Bessie. Beckie and Bessie are children with mental disabilities at the Pennsylvania Training School (Germantown, Pa.).
Beckwourth, James Pierson, Mrs.
In The life and adventures of James P. Beckwourth (New York, 1856), p. [116]., The Native American woman died after her husband punished her for disobeying him when she chose to dance in celebration of the scalping of three white men. After her death, her father (a Flat Head) prevented Beckwourth from being killed, and also presented him with the wife’s younger sister as a replacement wife., Recumbent portrait of Mrs. Beckwourth after her husband struck her with the side of his battle-axe.
Beecher, Catharine Esther, 1800-1878.
In Hale, S.J. Woman's record (New York, 1853), p. 578. "Illustrated by two hundred and thirty portraits, engraved on wood by Lossing and Barritt.", Bust-length portrait of the writer, wearing eyeglasses.
Beekman, Cornelia, 1752-1822.
In Ellet, E. F. The women of the American revolution (New York, 1848), v.2, plate opposite p. 191., Facsimile signature: C Beekman., Waist-length portrait of Mrs. Beekman, wearing necklace.
Beekman, Jane, 1734-1817.
In Griswold, R.W. The Republican Court, or, American society in the days of Washington. New and rev. ed. (New York, 1856), plate preceding p. 155., Original oil painting by Lawrence Kilburn painted in 1761; James Beekman's records indicate that the painting was later retouched by John Durand. Cf. White, Philip L. The Beekmans of New York in Politics and Commerce, 1647-1877 (New York, 1956)., Engraved by William Henry Mote?, Three-quarter length portrait of Mrs. Beekman, standing in front of a curtain, wearing a pearl necklace, her raised right hand holding a flower.
Benjamin, Sarah.
Waist-length seated portrait of Mrs. Benjamin wearing bonnet, holding staff., In The American phrenological journal, vol. 20 (Nov., 1854), p. 101., "She was with the army all through the Revolutionary War. She was in Albany during the hard winter of 1780, and at West Point two or three years, while the army was stationed there ; and when it left under General Washington, she followed. Her business was cooking and washing for her husband and other soldiers. She speaks distinctly of riding horseback through the streets of Philadelphia on the way to Yorktown and also of embarking on board ship at the head of Elk river, and of cruising down Chesapeake Bay, and landing (I think) at James River.”--P. 101., Also known as Sarah Osborn.
Bennett, Mary A., 1831-
In Bennett divorce case (New Haven, 1860), plate preceding p. [13].
Berry, Eliza.
In Twelve years a slave (Auburn, N.Y., 1853), plate opposite p. 88., Same image appears in Twelve years a slave (Auburn, N.Y., 1854)., Full-length portrait of the enslaved women, possibly a fictitious character, kneeling next to her daughter Emily; two white men stand above her.
Bingham, Anne Willing, 1764-1801.
In Griswold, R.W. The Republican Court, or, American society in the days of Washington. New and rev. ed. (New York, 1856), plate preceding p. 253., Three-quarter length portrait of Mrs. Bingham seated in an upholstered chair, wearing a pearl bracelet on her left wrist and holding a book in her right hand., The original painting is now located in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Bishop, Harriet E., 1817-1883.
In Bishop, H. E. Floral home; or, first years in Minnesota (New York, 1857), frontispiece., Harriet Bishop moved to Minnesota, then still a territory, to become the first teacher in the small city of St. Paul. She was a writer and an advocate of education reform and women's rights., Facsimile signature: Harriet E. Bishop., Bust-length portrait of Bishop, wearing a brooch.
Blackwell, Antoinette Louisa Brown, 1825-1921.
In Autographs for Freedom (Auburn, N.Y., 1854), plate opposite p. 41., Facsimile signature: Antoinette L. Brown., Bust-length portrait of the woman preacher, with a brooch on her lace collar.
Bleecker, Ann Eliza, 1752-1783.
In Bleecker, A.E. Posthumous works (New York, 1793), frontispiece., Bust-length portrait of the writer, within an architectural frame.
Bloomer, Amelia Jenks, 1818-1894.
Waist-length portrait of the reformer., In The American phrenological journal, vol. 17 (March, 1853), p. 52., Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer was a suffragist and temperance advocate whose name came to be associated with the radical new short dress style for women., Another portrait appears in: The water-cure journal, v. 12, no. 4 (Oct., 1851), p.96.
Bodine, Polly.
In the Weekly herald, vol. 9, no. 25 (June 29, 1844), p. 203., Another portrait by another artist appears on the same page; see also the Weekly herald, vol. 9, no. 2 (Jan. 13, 1844), p. 9, for an earlier publication of this portrait., Waist-length portrait of the accused murderess wearing a bonnet.
Bolton, Abby, 1827-1849.
In The lighted valley, or, The closing scenes in the life of a beloved sister (New York, 1850), frontispiece., The young woman was the daughter of the Rev. Robert Bolton (1788-1857), an Episcopalian clergyman who was born Savannah, Georgia; in 1807, he traveled to England, where he married Anne Jay Bolton (1793-1859); the couple and their children left England in 1836 and settled in New York; they opened the Bolton Priory School in Pelham Manor, New York, in 1838., Three-quarter-length portrait of the young woman., Another portrait appears in Bolton, R. The Lighted valley, or, The closing scenes of the life of Abby Bolton (London, 1851), frontispiece ("Eng'd by W. Holl, from a painting by her brother [i.e., William Jay Bolton]").
Bonaparte, Elizabeth Patterson, 1785-1879
In The Napoleon dynasty, or, The history of the Bonaparte family (New York, 1852), plate opposite p. 451., In 1803, Elizabeth ("Betsy") Patterson married Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860), the youngest brother of Napoleon I. The wedding took place in Baltimore, Maryland. Her taste in clothing, inspired by then-current European fashions, provoked criticism as immodest. Complying with Napoleon’s orders, her husband returned to Europe and effectively abandoned her., Waist-length portrait of the Maryland native, wearing a garment with a low neckline.
Booth, Mary L. (Mary Louise), 1831-1889.
Waist-length seated portrait of the writer., In The American phrenological journal, vol. 31 (May, 1860), p. 72., Mary Booth was an author, translator, and editor. Largely self-taught, she wrote and edited dozens of works, and served as editor of Harper’s Bazaar.
Botta, Anne C. Lynch (Anne Charlotte Lynch), 1815-1891.
In Read, T.B. Female poets of America (Philadelphia, 1849), plate opposite p. 265., Facsimile signature: Anne C. Lynch., Bust-length portrait of the writer.
Brant, Molly, 1736-1796
In Chapin, J.R. The historical picture gallery (Boston, 1856), p. 383., Full-length portrait of the Mohawk woman, riding side-saddle on a horse behind a man in uniform; Brant was known to have warned the British about the plans of the Patriots (and their Oneida allies) in 1777.
Breckinridge, Margaret, 1802-1838.
In Breckinridge, J. A memoir of Mrs. Margaret Breckinridge (Philadelphia, 1839), frontispiece., Facsimile signature: Marg't Breckinridge., Bust-length portrait of Mrs. Breckinridge, with lace shawl.

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