The February 1893 Friends Intelligencer included a short news story: the Executive Committee of the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College acknowledged the gift of a ‘valuable’ oil painting from Dr. William Furness, expressing their “sincere appreciation and thanks for his highly valued gift.” The painting was by his son, William Henry Furness Jr., and the subject was Lucretia Mott, Quaker, activist, and one of the founders of the College. The painting has graced the FHL Reading Room in the years since.

In the summer of 2025, FHL staff decided the painting was due for conservation and had it delivered for treatment to Flux Art Conservation in Philadelphia. During the work, conservator Katelyn Rovito noticed faint strings hanging from the object on the table. Sensing a possibly important detail, she asked FHL to identify what the object was. We consulted retired archivist Pat O’Donnell, who suggested it was a reticule, a small handbag with strings. Research confirmed that women carried reticules to anti-slavery sewing circles and other abolition meetings. As an abolitionist, Lucretia would have understood the symbolism of a reticule. Conservation made the object visible in the painting, and revealed this meaningful detail.

Come visit the Special Collections Reading Room to see a brighter Lucretia. She is back on the wall where she has been since the opening of McCabe in 1968, and continuing her presence in FHL after 133 years, reticule in tow.