Mrs. Peter De Lancey (Elizabeth Colden, 1720–1784)

This miniature portrait by George Engleheart depicts Mrs. Peter De Lancey, née Elizabeth Colden, a member of prominent New York colonial families. Engleheart, who served as miniature painter to George III, was the most prolific miniaturist of the Georgian era. The ivory support was the preferred medium for 18th-century portrait miniatures, whose translucent luminosity suited the intimate function of these personal keepsakes.

Engleheart's miniature technique on ivory achieves remarkable luminosity by exploiting the translucent support, which allows light to reflect through the thin paint layers. The delicate stippling and hatching build up flesh tones with jewel-like precision.