Despite a distinctive style, attempts to identify "D" have not been successful. He may have been either an itinerant American painter or a French immigrant. The awkward positioning of Prioleau and the inconsistent brushstrokes, as well as the irregular placement of the date and initial, indicate that the artist was probably unschooled, although the sharp modelling of the face and the delineation of the features are quite accomplished.
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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