American oil on canvas 19th century portrait of a woman in a ruffled bonnet with a chocolate brown bow tied under her chin attributed to Asahel Lynde Powers (American / Vermont, 1813-1843). Artwork in gilded wood frame measures 30.5" x 26". Artwork has been relined and is in very good, age appropriate condition. Frame in very good condition with scattered age appropriate wear.
Asahel Lynde Powers (American, 1813–1843) was a nineteenth-century American portrait artist working during the antebellum period, when painted likenesses were central to personal and family legacy. His work reflects the prevailing portrait traditions of the time, favoring clarity of expression, balanced composition, and a restrained, thoughtful palette.
Active in the northeastern United States, Powers produced portraits that emphasize directness and quiet dignity, focusing on the sitter’s presence rather than overt ornamentation. His handling of form and facial structure suggests a careful, trained approach, attentive to both likeness and character. Working just prior to the widespread adoption of photography, Powers participated in a moment when portrait painting served as an essential means of documentation and remembrance.
Powers’s career was brief, ending with his early death at the age of thirty. As a result, his surviving works are relatively scarce and offer a compelling glimpse into early American portraiture, resonating with collectors for their sincerity, craftsmanship, and historical intimacy.
