Robeson-Lea Family

When making silhouettes, Auguste Edouart would “deliberate in [his] mind upon the points, which come forward, and those that retire.” And because his hand needed to be as steady as possible, he avoided strong coffee, tea, and “spirits or any other excitements.” For members of the intermarried Robeson and Lea families, Edouart apparently cut individuals’ silhouettes on two different days. As in other individual and group portraits by Edouart, the sitters carry props: books, paper, spectacles, or a sewing bag. The silhouette hung above the sofa may represent a deceased relative. Members of the Robeson and Lea families were Quakers from the Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware, area. Their clothing marked their faith: note the distinctive bonnets that the five women wear. While disavowing other forms of portraiture, Quakers joined the rest of America in the “rage of silhouettes.” The Spartan simplicity of the art form aligned with the humility of their faith.