Portrait of a Child, purportedly Mary Habersham (?-?)

The identity of the child in this portrait is unknown, although she has been called Mary Habersham in the past. If that identity is correct, this painting may be one of the portraits referenced as “all my Family Pictures” in a letter from Governor James Habersham of Georgia to the artist in 1772.
Theus likely visited Georgia for the portrait sittings. He finished the paintings in Charlestown and then shipped them to Governor Habersham. The child’s pose was probably inspired by a print, quite possibly John Smith’s engraving after Sir Godfrey Kneller’s portrait of William Anne Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle.

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