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.