Smithsonian American Art Museum
We Both Must Fade (Mrs. Fithian)
Lilly Martin Spencer, born Exeter, England 1822-died New York City 1902 · 1869
Mrs. Fithian stands before a mirror, admiring the tokens that others have given in praise of her beauty. She wears lace and pearls, and a blue gown that has just been taken from its box. But like the rose in her hand with its falling petals, her beauty will fade, and with it, all the pleasures the world can provide. The extinguished lamps, which darken the parlor to dramatic effect, emphasize the message of the painting. Thomas C. Latto romanticized this subject in a poem:
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