A descendant of an old Charleston family, Gibbes was a successful merchant and stockholder in the South Carolina Railroad Company and the Gaslight Company. Through his generous bequest to the Mayor of Charleston, the Gibbes Memorial Art Gallery was erected.
An extraordinarily detailed likeness, it portrays Gibbes as a personable individual, somewhat in contrast to contemporary portraits which tend to be severe. The beautifully embellished locket suggests that it may have been designed for Mrs. Gibbes to wear.
Notes:
This text is adapted from Martha Severens "The Miniature Portrait Collection of the Carolina Art Association" published by the Carolina Art Association, 1984
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