Existing comment:
Juliana Westray Wood, 1778-1838
Actress Juliana Westray made her stage debut at Boston's Haymarket Theater in 1797. By 1804 she had joined William Wood's Chestnut Street Theatre Company in Philadelphia and also married Wood. The company performed a repertoire of serious drama and literate, witty comedy, and for years she was its favored actress, best known for her performances in Macbeth and School for Scandal. Rembrandt Peale painted her portrait around 1811 when she was at the height of her career. With his respectable, highbrow tastes, William Wood found it difficult to adapt as American culture became more populist and sensationalist by the 1830s. In particular, he disliked the star system, preferring an ensemble cast. During the late 1820s, the Woods operated the theater themselves, but eventually they had to close its doors.
by Rembrandt Peale, c 1811 |