Friday 11 November 2016

American Folk Art - part 9

Continuing a major series on American Folk Art featuring 21 postings. Folk Art encompasses art produced by artists and ordinary folk with little or no training in the arts, and is traditionally utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic. The period I’m covering is the C18th and C19th.
See parts 1-8 also for earlier works.

Note: Follow me on Twitter for notice of updates @poulwebb

This is part 9 of a 21-part post on American Folk Art:

Ammi Phillips (1788-1865)


In 1924 a summer fair in Kent, Connecticut, sparked the rediscovery of a major American artist when local residents put several nineteenth-century “ancestor portraits” on display. The strikingly similar canvases depicted graceful women with long slender necks leaning slightly forward within gleaming dark backgrounds and firm men in dark suits, often holding newspapers or books in their hands. The artist, who was then unidentified, was given the appellation “Kent Limner.” It was not until 1965 that Barbara and Larry Holdridge, with the support of Mary C. Black, convincingly demonstrated that the Kent Limner portraits were linked to several other disparate bodies of work and that all, in fact, were painted by a single artist - Ammi Phillips, at different points in his career. For more than fifty years, Phillips—whose biblical name fittingly means “my people” portrayed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of his friends, relatives, and neighbours in New York as far north as Ticonderoga in the Adirondacks, south to Bedford, in Westchester County, and throughout the border areas of Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, and Connecticut.

Phillips was born in Colebrook, Connecticut, in 1788. He was already travelling as an artist by 1809, when he advertised from William Clarke’s tavern in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, that he would paint “correct likenesses.” This promise became a leitmotif of Phillips’s work over more than fifty years, from the early romantic portraits of Harriet Leavens and Harriet Campbell—who appear in the guise of fashion plates replete with Chinese silk parasols and reticules - to his last portraits of the 1860s.
From 1829-1838, Phillips (1788-1865) changed his style to what is now known as his Kent style. Phillips' paintings from 1829-1838 are in a new style, infinitely more languid and more highly stylised than any of the likenesses of 1820 to 1828 or the romantic visions of his Border period" 
(Barbara C. and Lawrence Holdridge, Ammi Phillips: Portrait Painter 1788-1865, 1968).

This is part 1 of 3-part post on the works of Ammi Phillips:

1811c Portrait of a Gentleman
oil on canvas 60.3 x 75.6 cm

1812-13 Portrait of Ashbel Stoddard
87.6 x 76.2 cm

1812-13 Portrait of Patricia Bolles Stoddard
 72.4 x 61 cm

1814c Girl with Cat
63.5 x 76.2 cm
Amon Carter Museum of Art, Fort Worth, Texas

1814c Henrietta Dorr
oil on canvas
Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, NJ

1815 Mr.Wilbur Sherman
oil on canvas 81.3 x 66 cm
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT

1815 Mrs. Wilbur (Sarah 'Sally' Stearns) Sherman (1789-1845) and daughter Sarah (1814-1872)
oil on canvas 91.4 x 76.2 cm
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT

1815 Portrait of Harriet Campbell
oil on canvas 123.2 x 63.5 cm
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, PA
1815c Harriet Leavens
oil on canvas 144.8 x 71.1 cm
Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, MA

1815-18c Jerusha Rogers Washburn
oil on canvas 64.1 x 47.6 cm

1815c MaryAnn Gale
oil on canvas

1816 Alsa Slade
oil on canvas 102 x 83.8 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

1816 Joseph Slade
oil on canvas 102 x 84 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

1816c Portrait of Mr. Dilbee of Pine Plains
oil on canvas 97.8 x 80.6 cm

1817c Betsy Beckwith
oil on canvas 77.4 x 62.4 cm
Brooklyn Museum, NY

1817c Colonel Nathan Beckwith
oil on canvas 77.4 x 62,4 cm
Brooklyn Museum, NY

1818c Portrait of a Gentleman with a Snake Cane
oil on canvas 74.9 x 61 cm

1820c Derick Wyncoop and Anna Elting Wyncoop
oil on canvas 74 x 59 cm

1820c General David Robinson
oil on canvas
Bennington Museum, Bennington, VT

1820c Jane Daney Smith
oil on canvas 81.6 x 66 cm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

1820c Nancy Caldwell Church Robinson
oil on canvas
Bennington Museum, Bennington, VT

1820c Portrait of Sally Morgan Walbridge
oil on canvas 82.5 x 66.7 cm
Private Collection

1820c Reverend Jonas Coe
oil on canvas 122.2 x 97.1 cm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

1821 Portrait of Dr. John McClennan of Livingston, New York inscribed "John McClellan Aged 48 1821/ Painted by A. Phillips."
oil on canvas 77.5 x 62.2 cm

1821-22 Cornelius Allerton
oil on canvas 83.8 x 69.9 cm
Art Institute of Chicago, IL

1821-22 Mrs. Reuben Allerton (Lois Atherton)
oil on canvas 83.8 x 69.9 cm
Art Institute of Chicago, IL

1822 Portrait of Charlotte Newcombe Benedict
oil on canvas 75.6 x 58.7 cm
Springfield Museum of Art, Ohio

1822 Portrait of Dr. Abijah Gilbert Benedict
oil on canvas 75.6 x 58.7 cm
Springfield Museum of Art, Ohio

1824 Hannah Bull Thompson
oil on canvas 76.2 x 61 cm
The Huntingdon Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA

1825-30 Portrait of James Ketcham
oil on canvas 81.3 x 67.3 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA

1825-30 Portrait of Lois Belding Ketcham
oil on canvas 81.3 x 67.3 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA

1825c (possibly Ammi Phillips) Portrait of a Man
oil on canvas 58.4 x 71.1 cm.

1825c (possibly Ammi Phillips) Portrait of a Woman
oil on canvas 58.4 x 71.1 cm

1825c Portrait of a Man with Red Curtain
oil on canvas 74.9 x 59.7 cm

1825c Portrait of Cicero Hinds
oil on canvas 73.7 x 58.4 cm

1825c Portrait of Mr. Warburton of Rockboro, Virginia
oil on canvas 73.3 x 60.5 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA

1825c Portrait of Mrs Warburton of Rockboro, Virginia
oil on canvas 75.7 x 60.6 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA
 

1826c Woman Holding a Hymn Book
oil on canvas

1827 Mary Elizabeth Smith
oil on canvas 65.1 x 52.7 cm
Terra Foundation for American Art, Chicago, IL

1830c The Strawberry Girl
oil on canvas 66.3 x 56.3 cm

1828 Portrait of a Young Girl
oil on canvas 61 x 50.2 cm

1828-38 Portrait of Ann Miller Tompkins

Wednesday 9 November 2016

American Folk Art - part 8

Continuing a major series on American Folk Art featuring 21 postings. Folk Art encompasses art produced by artists and ordinary folk with little or no training in the arts, and is traditionally utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic. The period I’m covering is the C18th and C19th.
See parts 1-7 also for earlier works.

Note: Follow me on Twitter for notice of updates @poulwebb

This is part 8 of a 21-part post on American Folk Art:

Jacob Maentel (1763-1863)

Jacob Maentel emigrated from Germany to America in 1805 and made his living as a portrait painter, first in Maryland and then in Lebanon, York and Dauphin Counties in Pennsylvania. He painted more than two hundred portraits of friends and neighbours.


early 1800s Elizabeth Ault
watercolour, pen and ink on paper 24.1 x 19 cm

early 1800s William Ault
watercolour, pen and ink on paper 24.1 x 19 cm

1810-15c (attributed to) Pair of Portraits
watercolour and gouache on paper 18.4 x 15.5 cm

1810-15c (attributed to) Pair of Portraits 
watercolour and gouache on paper 18.4 x 15.5 cm

1815-20 Father and Daughter of Elizabethtown, PA
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 27.3 x 21.6 cm

1815-20 Mother and Daughters of Elizabethtown, PA
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 27.3 x 21.6 cm

1815-25 Boy Holding a Rooster
watercolour and ink on paper
Winterthur Museum, New Castle County, Delaware

1815-25 Caterina Bickel
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 48.3 x 30.5 cm

1815-25 John Bickel
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 48.3 x 30.5 cm

1820c Seated Man Holding a Book

1815c Amelia and Eliza Danner by Jacob Maentel
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 26.7 x 21.2 cm
American Folk Art Museum, New York City

1815c Portrait of a Young Lady

1820c Mr and Mrs William Kreps

1820c Portrait of a Man Holding a Hat

1821 Portrait of Catherine Carver Bishop of Dauphin Count, PA
watercolour 27.9 x 22.2 cm

1825-30c Dr. Christian Bucher
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 41.9 x 26.7 cm
American Folk Art Museum, New York City

1825-30c Mary Valentine Bucher
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 41.9 x 25.7 cm
American Folk Art Museum, New York City

1826 Portrait of a Child
(born 13 October 1825)

1826 Portrait of a Child
(born 25 November 1823)

1826 Portrait of a Girl Holding a Rose
(born 22 May 1822)

1827 Young Woman in Blue Dress (Grandmother Hartman)
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 24.1 x 15.2 cm

1828c Maria Rex Zimmerman
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 43.2 x 26.7 cm
American Folk Art Museum, New York City

1830c Portrait of a Girl with a Rose

1830c Portrait of a Young Lady

1831 (attributed to) Portrait of Samuel Ensminger Jr. and Mrs Samuel Ensminger Jr. (Elizabeth Summy) and Child
watercolour and ink on paper

1834 Portrait of a Man with a Hat and Umbrella

1835 John Martin Titzel

1840c Elizabeth Wallborn
(born 23 April 1833)

1840c Portrait of a Man Holding a Hat

1840c Portrait of a Man Holding a Hat

1850c (attributed to) Red-Roofed Distillery and Out-buildings Nestled in Green Hills
oil on canvas 81.3 x 139.7 cm

n.d Double Portraits of a Young Man and Woman (see below) with their Children and Dog
watercolour, gouache and pencil on paper 29.2 xx 22.9 cm 1

n.d Double Portraits of a Young Man (see Above) and Woman with their Children and Dog 
watercolour, gouache and pencil on paper 29.2 xx 22.9 cm 1

n.d. Elisabeth Scoch of Berks County (born 1811)
watercolour and ink on paper 25.4 x 21.6 cm

n.d. Jacob Scoch of Berks County (born 1807)
watercolour and ink on paper 25.4 x 21.6 cm

n.d. Portrait of a Man at a Writing Desk
watercolour

n.d. John George Kitzmiller and his wife Anna Christina
watercolour 41.3 x 45.7 cm

n.d. Portrait of a Child with a Bird

n.d. Portrait of a Lady Holding a Book

n.d. Portrait of a Man Holding a Hat

n.d. Portrait of a Man Holding a Book

n.d. Portrait of a Woman Holding a Book

n.d. Portrait of a Woman Holding a Rose

n.d. Portrait of a Women in a Red Windsor Chair
watercolour and ink on paper

n.d. Portrait of a Young Woman
watercolour

n.d. Portrait of Hatter John Mays of Schaefferstown
watercolour, gouache, ink and pencil on paper 15.5 x 12.5 cm


1810 Zedekiah Belknap (1781 - 1858)

Also Known as: Zedikiah Belknap, Zebakiah Belknap
Born in Ward, Massachusetts 1781
Died in Weathersfield, Vermont 1858


1810 Child in White with Doll

1813c Wedding Portrait of Nancy Hale
oil on panel 68.6 x 53.3 cm

1813c Wedding Portrait of Obed Hale
oil on panel 68.6 x 53.3 cm

1820c Girl with Doll
oil on panel 60.3 x 43.8 cm

1820s Portrait of a Boy with Toy Sword and Whistle
oil on panel  57.8 x 45.7 cm

1829c Dorman Thodore Warren Born 1827 Townsend, MA
oil on panel 67.3 x 55.9 cm

1830 Sarah Minot Melville
oil on panel 45.7 x 61 cm
Private Collection

1835c Portrait of a Sister and Brother
oil on canvas 68.6 x 87.6 cm

1835c Seated Girl
oil on canvas 47 x 62.5 cm
Detroit Institute of Arts, MI

1835c Portrait of the Farley Children of Groton
oil on canvas
Worcester Art Museum, MA

n.d Portrait of Josiah Gilson Esq. aged 34 D. 1827
oil on wood panel 68.6 x 54.6 cm

n.d. Portrait of Mrs. Vashti Gilson aged 35 D. 1827
oil on wood panel 68.6 x 54.6 cm

n.d Young Woman with a Ruffled Collar

n.d. ( attributed to Girl ) in a White Dress with Cat
oil on canvas 67.3 x 62.2 cm
Private Collection

n.d. ( attributed to ) Portrait of a Young Girl
oil on panel 66 x 55.9 cm

n.d. Pair of Portraits of a Man and Woman ( see below )
oil on wood panel 65.4 x 49.5 cm

n.d. Pair of Portraits of a Man ( see above ) and Woman
oil on wood panel 65.4 x 49.5 cm

n.d. Portrait of a Man
76.2 x 61 cm

n.d. Portrait of a Woman
66 x 50.8 cm

n.d. Portrait of a Woman
oil on canvas 68.3 x 55.6 cm
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC

n.d. Portrait of a Woman with a Yellow Shawl
oil on canvas 78.7 x 64.8 cm

n.d. Pair of Portraits of a Man and Wife ( see below )

n.d. Pair of Portraits of a Man ( see above ) and Wife