Mary Howell (ca. 1700-ca. 1783)

Mary Howell was the daughter of John Howell. She married Charles Lewis in 1717. Charles and Mary Howell Lewis settled at The Byrd plantation in Goochland County. This portrait bears strong stylistic similarity to the portraits of George and Rebecca Bonum Eskridge and the three Lyde-Tayloe family portraits.

The portraits features a girl or young woman seated and wearing a green dress with a brown or purple drape wrapped around her. Her dress is adorned with pearls and jeweled claps at her neckline and shoulder. She holds grapes in her lap and in her left hand. She is turned three-quarters to her left.

Special thanks to Richmond Conservation Studio for sharing information about this painting.