Like the portraits of Russell and Weston, Fraser's portrait of Gadsden is a sensitive likeness of an older man. Here, however, the positioning is more direct, so that the viewer looks him in the eyes, and nothing else in the composition is distracting. In 1819, Fraser received $60 for this portrait, slightly more than usual.
Notes:
This text is adapted from Martha Severens "The Miniature Portrait Collection of the Carolina Art Association" published by the Carolina Art Association, 1984