William Matthew Prior was largely self-taught and painted "flat" style portraits like the present painting. He was based in Boston, where he kept a studio called The Painting Garret during the 1840's and 1850's. Among the numerous portraits Prior painted throughout New England, were those of African Americans, including the abolitionist William Whipper in the collection of the Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown (accession number N0246.1961), and Nancy Lawson in the collection of the Shelburne Museum, Vermont (accession number 1959-265.34).
