Mary Ann Willson

In this fanciful image, George Washington fires his gun atop a noble black steed. Artist Mary Ann Willson punctuated the background with a series of marks that create a surprisingly effective atmospheric space. The freehand decorations on the horse’s saddle are typical of her approach to pattern and design. In Pelican with Young, she embellished the pelican—a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice—with a patchwork pattern. Stencils were used for the feet and beak, suggesting Willson made several versions.

Willson lived in upstate New York, where she and her female partner earned a living farming and selling pictures. Entirely self-taught, she created pigments from berries, bricks, and vegetables, only occasionally using store-bought paints. A contemporary of Willson’s wrote that her paintings were purchased as far north as Canada and as far south as Alabama.