Freeman was one of the last artists of her era to specialize in portrait miniatures—small watercolor portraits done on ivory. Working on commission, she created miniatures for wealthy clients in New York, Connecticut, and Washington, DC. Here, she portrays the daughter of Eli Whitney Jr., the inventor of the cotton gin. Whitney’s painted face is only an inch tall, yet Freeman captures light reflecting off individual hairs in her curls, a remarkable feat in such a small format.

Despite her talents, Freeman soon found herself in competition with a new technology: the daguerreotype. Invented in 1839, this early form of photography cost less than a painted miniature, and it required only a few minutes of the sitter’s time compared to the hours needed for a painted portrait. Because of their high cost and remarkable craftsmanship, miniatures still conveyed wealth and status, but within a few decades, the medium had faded into obscurity.

—Text taken from the Carter Handbook (2023).