According to the inscription on the back, Caroline Marsh's portrait was done at the request of Charles Thurston, whom she later married. The portrait seems to have been painted during the young couple's courtship. In contrast to the portrait of Charles painted eighteen months later, Caroline's face is finely and precisely painted, and the background has a distinctive stipple. Her dress, however, is only sketchily painted. These slight inconsistencies may be viewed as indications of a young artist. Staigg's youthfulness is also demonstrated by the repeated use of the same pose and placement for all three Thurston sitters.
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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