Susanna Traux
American School
18th C
This undated example of early Dutch-American folk portraiture shows a girl with a tea service. It offers a piece of visual evidence for an 18th century traveller's observation that "tea, coffee, and chocolate are so general [in America] as to be found in most remote cabins, if not for daily use, yet for visitors."
Old Maid
London
1777
This print appeared in a London periodical, and offers a stereotypical view of an "Old Maid." As most of the family portraits show, tea drinking was a social activity. This Old Maid, however, is drinking her tea alone. It also provides a good view in cartoon form of a common table from the period, also used for writing. The same sort of table can be seen in the print of Phillis Wheatly, and Prudence Punderson's embroidery.
The Samuels Family
Johann Eckstein
1788
Eckstein was a German-born painter, sculptor and print-maker who worked in United States. Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Same as previous (detail)
Johann Eckstein
1788