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Exhibition History“Folk Art from Cooperstown,” Museum of American Folk Art, New York, NY, March 29, 1966 – June 5, 1966.
“American Folk Art: Collection from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, January 25, 2001 – March 24, 2001.
“Little Women, Little Men: Folk Portraits of Children from Fenimore Art Museum,” Clark Institute, Williamstown, MA, September 22, 2006 – February 4, 2007; Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA, July 2, 2005 – October 16, 2005; Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA, October 29, 2005 – December 31, 2005.
BibliographyLouis C. Jones and Agnes Halsey, New-Found Folk Art of the Young Republic (exh. cat., Cooperstown, NY, NYSHA, 1960), p. 22, no. 40, ill 40.
Paul S. D'Ambrosio and Charlotte M. Emans, Folk Art's Many Faces: Portraits in the New York State Historical Association, (Cooperstown, NYSHA, 1987),pp. 202-203, ill. no. 144 on p. 202.
![The Crane Family (Susanna Crane 15 years and [10?] months)](/internal/media/dispatcher/4542/thumbnail)
Artist
Unidentified Artist
(American)
American Madonna and Child
Datec. 1845
MediumOil on canvas
DimensionsFramed: 30 5/8 × 25 1/2 × 1 3/4 in. (77.8 × 64.8 × 4.4 cm)
Sight: 26 3/4 × 21 1/2 in. (67.9 × 54.6 cm)
Object numberN0297.1961
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark
Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor, NYC
Label TextMore so perhaps than any other portrait in the Association's collection, "American Madonna and Child" illustrates the simplicity and directness that characterize the most successful folk paintings. The overall flatness and solid areas of color focus the viewer's eye on the smooth, graceful outlines of the figures. This emphasis on line rather than form, the result of the artist's lack of training in academic principles, makes the baby appear to float weightlessly in its mother's arms. The sitters' serene faces are rendered with clarity and softness, and the artist achieved an appealing doll-like quality in the baby's large dark eyes and direct gaze. A number of carefully painted details embellish the picture, including the woman's necklace, brooch and ring, and the lace on her collar, sleeve and on the baby's dress. The sitters' hands and the landscape vista are loosely painted, yet remain effective in completing the unified composition.
Exhibition History“Folk Art from Cooperstown,” Museum of American Folk Art, New York, NY, March 29, 1966 – June 5, 1966.
“American Folk Art: Collection from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, January 25, 2001 – March 24, 2001.
“Little Women, Little Men: Folk Portraits of Children from Fenimore Art Museum,” Clark Institute, Williamstown, MA, September 22, 2006 – February 4, 2007; Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA, July 2, 2005 – October 16, 2005; Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA, October 29, 2005 – December 31, 2005.
BibliographyLouis C. Jones and Agnes Halsey, New-Found Folk Art of the Young Republic (exh. cat., Cooperstown, NY, NYSHA, 1960), p. 22, no. 40, ill 40.
Paul S. D'Ambrosio and Charlotte M. Emans, Folk Art's Many Faces: Portraits in the New York State Historical Association, (Cooperstown, NYSHA, 1987),pp. 202-203, ill. no. 144 on p. 202.
On View
On viewc. 1885-1887
