In the Colonial era, one main benefit of silhouettes was that they cost less than portraits. Silhouettes were a more affordable option for capturing a person's likeness compared to the more expensive and time-consuming process of creating a portrait.
This cost-effective aspect made silhouettes more accessible to a wider range of people, allowing them to have a representation of themselves or their loved ones without the high price tag associated with traditional portraits.
As a result, many people during the Colonial era opted for silhouettes as a more economical way to preserve memories and document the appearance of individuals.