Eliza, the daughter of John Rutledge, Revolutionary era patriot, was fifteen when Trumbull painted her portrait. It is a very sunny portrayal, dominated by the golden hues of her hair. The whole is spontaneously painted, and this, together with the simple pose, adds to the immediacy of the portrait.
Notes:
This text is adapted from Martha Severens "The Miniature Portrait Collection of the Carolina Art Association" published by the Carolina Art Association, 1984