New in the Mansion's Little Parlor

In the 1790s, while in New York and Philadelphia with her grandparents, Eleanor (Nelly) Park Custis received an exceptional education that included drawing lessons with British landscape artist William Groombridge. Throughout her life, she continued to paint and Mount Vernon has several reproductions of Nelly's original watercolors. 

In the Little Parlor, a new scenario has been designed by Lifeguard Teacher Fellow Dr. Lynn Miller. The setting includes a table set by the window, as if Nelly had decided to enjoy a few hours of painting flowers from the garden. There is a paint box containing paint, a water dish, a palette, and brushes that Nelly uses to create watercolor flowers.

Anne Clark Harvey of Jackson Preparatory School, Jackson Mississippi painted the flowers for the scene, which will be on display for the summer.