Captain Isaac Knight's Wife...

Oil Portrait: Nabby (probably Chamberlain). Born 1790 in Portland; died August 1857 in Portland. (Click here for a portrait of Isaac.)

Her portrait was painted in New England, probably in Portland, Maine. It is on board. Note how crudely the body and hands are painted relative to the face. I'm told it was common practice for itinerant New England painters to spend the winters painting generic bodies, then spend the summer months on the road filling in faces. Perhaps that explains this portrait's inconsistent quality. The painting is unsigned.

Below is a detail photo of the portrait.