Along with portrayals of children, the Four Centuries of American Art Issue also included an image dedicated to motherhood. “The Freake Limner” is one of the earliest American artworks focusing on the theme of motherhood from the mid to late 17th century. The image depicts Mrs. Elizabeth Freake and her child. Their clothing identifies the subjects as belonging to the higher social classes of early Bostonian society. USPS art director Paine chose “The Freake Limner” portrait as a defining example of this early period of American colonial art.
