Enoch Wood Perry, Jr. (American, 1831–1915)
Memories (also known as Strong Resemblance)
Oil on canvas
36¼ × 28¾ in.
Signed lower left: “E. Wood Perry N.A.”
In this intimate domestic interior, Enoch Wood Perry, Jr. captures a poignant generational moment between a grandmother and her granddaughter. The elder woman, holding a framed portrait, leans forward with tender expression as the young girl gazes at it beside her—two lives joined by memory and resemblance. Perry’s careful modulation of light and shadow, his rich treatment of textiles, and the quiet order of the furnishings all contribute to a sense of warmth, dignity, and emotional depth. The result is both a sentimental reflection on family continuity and a study in psychological realism.
Born in Boston and raised in New Orleans, Perry trained in Düsseldorf and Paris before establishing his career in the United States. He became a member of the National Academy of Design in 1869 and was known for his portraits, genre scenes, and historical subjects, including depictions of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Memories exemplifies Perry’s mature style—academically precise yet deeply humane—revealing the artist’s lifelong interest in character, sentiment, and the moral quietude of home life.
