Caroline Seaton Schroeder was the daughter of William Seaton, the owner of the newspaper the National Intelligencer, mayor of Washington, D.C., and a regent of the Smithsonian. The pencil outline of Mrs. Schroeders dress makes her portrait appear unfinished, as the lower portion of her dress is without color. Richard Morell Staigg used a similar technique in his portrait of Mr. Schroeder.