John Singleton Copley was the painter of choice for discerning Bostonians because he was a master at combining real and ideal elements to make a flattering portrait, the way we might use filters or Photoshop tools today.

Here, Copley painted specific facial features to convey Mrs. Atkinson’s likeness, but he added an imaginary silk gown, rich velvet drapery, and the view to the outdoors based on European portraiture conventions. These, combined with other symbols, such as the chained flying squirrel, communicated to eighteenth-century viewers that she was a fine lady of grace and discipline.