THE GRACE
He thought her beautiful, believed her impeccably wise; dreamed of her, wrote poems to her, which, ignoring the subject, she corrected in red ink. - Virginia Woolf
CHARACTERIZATION
Julia’s oldest daughter, Charlotte Scarbrough Taylor (1806-1861), has suffered from the same overly simplified character analysis as her mother. Although the interpretation of Julia’s character remained consistent, Charlotte seemingly evolved from one simplistic form into another. In her early years her natural intelligence and insight where regarded stereotypically as a “grace” (confined) and in her adult years her self-assurance and determination were viewed as “vindictive” (unconfined). ​
The words on this panel have been used to define the essence of Charlotte Scarbrough Taylor. She has only recently been recognized for her contributions to science and nature.
CONTEXT
The Three Graces by Raphael, 1504-1505
One of the earliest descriptions of Charlotte Scarbrough was a comparison of the Scarbrough daughters to the Greco-Roman “Three Graces.” Within the family, Charlotte and her two sisters were defined as the conventional feminine models of beauty, charm, and creativity.
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