“This bronze sculpture invites you to witness a timeless act of creation. The artist beautifully captures the quiet dignity and focused grace of a woman spinning thread, transforming simple fiber into something useful.”
This bronze sculpture, titled "Filatrice" (The Spinner), captures a woman in a moment of quiet industry. Her pose suggests a timeless rhythm, with her hands engaged in the delicate task of spinning fiber into thread. The artist has rendered her form with a classical elegance, emphasizing the flowing lines of her drapery and the serene concentration on her face. Though made of durable bronze, there is a softness to her features and the way her garment drapes, conveying a sense of gentle movement and focused dedication. This work reflects a broader interest in depicting everyday life and labor during the mid-19th century, elevating a common domestic scene to a subject of sculptural art.
- Artist
- William Henry Brown
- Date
- 1850
- Medium
- Bronze
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- 20 x 12 x 8 in. (50.8 x 30.5 x 20.3 cm)
- Collection
- The American Wing
- Culture
- American
- Credit line
- Purchase, Gifts in memory of James R. Graham, and Morris K. Jesup Fund, 1993
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Observe the subtle texture of the bronze, mimicking fabric folds.
Notice the spinner's focused gaze and serene expression.
See the delicate threads she holds between her fingers.
Look at the spindle resting in her lap, ready for more yarn.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Filatrice — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
William Henry Brown
1815–1875William Henry Brown, known for his silhouette portraits and early photographic experiments, captured the likenesses of figures like John Quincy Adams.
Further Works by Brown
Silhouette of a Young Man Before an Open Window, Facing Right
1830 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Adaline Peters Brown
1843 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Portrait of a Woman before a Window
1845 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Ada Brown
1847 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Benjamin Daniel Greene
1848 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Choosing of the Arrow
1849 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Indian Figure in Profile
1851 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Benjamin Franklin
1852 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
More works to explore
Beyond Brown: works from the same years.
Same era · 1830s–1860s
The Cottage by the Roadside, Stormy Sky
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1855 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1830s–1860s
The Backgammon Players
Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Mount Chocorua and Moat Mountain from North Conway
William Hart · 1850
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Portrait of a Woman, Called Héloïse Abélard
Gustave Courbet · 1850 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Woman Feeding Chickens
Jean-François Millet · 1850 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Arab Horseman Attacked by a Lion
Eugène Delacroix · 1849 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Joséphine-Éléonore-Marie-Pauline de Galard de Brassac de Béarn (1825–1860), Princesse de Broglie
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres · 1853 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Olive Trees
Vincent van Gogh · 1853 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth
J. M. W. Turner · 1842 · National Gallery
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Young Spartan Girls Challenging Boys
Edgar Degas · 1860 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1830s–1860s
A Sketch
Mariano Fortuny Marsal · 1862 · Hispanic Society of America
Same era · 1830s–1860s
Alfred Sisley
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1864 · Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection
