Photo by Gavin Ashworth
We found this small oil on canvas folk painting in an antique shop along the Hudson River, not far from West Point Military Academy. It was painted c. 1840. The shop owner said the painting was from a local source. When we found “Jane”, as we shall call her … she was wearing a yellowed dress. After a good cleaning and some restoration, her dress is now a pretty PINK!!
She is very much at home in our house . It is obvious she was painted by an itinerant artist. The dress must have been painted much earlier than the face…and our artist just reached into his bag and pulled out the unfinished painting with the dress, and on goes the face of our serious young sitter,” Jane”. Do you think she was the owner of the dainty necklace or did the artist add it for a bit of style?
I took Jane to the local art museum for an appraisal of age and style. And I was correct in my appraisal which made me very happy. Since this photo was taken, we have had Jane framed by a superb craftsman at Period Designs in Yorktown, Virginia.
I am getting off the subject, but if you have not visited Yorktown, located not far from Williamsburg, please do so. We Virginians are proud of this town as it is where Cornwallis surrendered to the General George Washington. A few years ago, there was an underwater archaeological exploration of the York River. The project was to retrieve what they could of Cornwallis’ ships. Our oldest son, then a student, found the first ship timber in that murky, jellyfish infested water!! The museum nearby is a treasure trove. You must visit!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment