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Although her work shows evidence of a maturing style and technique, Goldsmith consistently had difficulty with perspective. In these portraits (see N0326.1961a), she attempted to create an illusion of depth by lowering the subject's right shoulder so that it might recede into the background. However, the device is unconvincing, as the resulting portraits appear somewhat distorted.
Exhibition History“Rediscovered Painters of Upstate New York,” New York Historical Society, New York, NY, February 1, 1959 – February 28, 1959; Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Syracuse, NY, January 4, 1959 – January 25, 1959; Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY, November 30, 1958 – December 21, 1958; Albany Institute of History and Arts, October 30, 1958 – November 20, 1958; Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, September 26, 1958 – October 21, 1958; New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown, NY, June 14, 1958 – September 15, 1958.
“The Paper of the State…A Bicentennial Exhibit of the Paper Folk Art of New York State,” Museum of American Folk Art, New York, NY, April 9. 1976 – June 2, 1976.
BibliographyPaul S. D’Ambrosio and Charlotte M. Emans, Folk Art’s Many Faces: Portraits in the New York State Historical Association, (Cooperstown, NY: New York State Historical Association, 1987), p.89-90, illus. as no. 48 on p.89.
The Paper of the State…A Bicentennial Exhibit of the Paper Folk Art of New York State, (exh. cat. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1976), n. 148.
![The Crane Family (Susanna Crane 15 years and [10?] months)](/internal/media/dispatcher/4542/thumbnail)
Attributed to
Deborah Goldsmith
(1808 - 1836)
Gentleman
Datec. 1832
MediumWatercolor on wove paper
DimensionsSight: 5 3/4 × 4 1/2 in. (14.6 × 11.4 cm)
Object numberN0326.1961b
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextGoldsmith's lack of skill at drawing anatomy makes her portraiture seem occasionally awkward. Eyes are rendered disproportionately large, while ears seem small and are sometimes placed low on the head. The woman's expressive face is unusual for Goldsmith since she drew most of her subjects with a fixed, somber gaze. A characteristic of Goldsmith's work is her use of a blue wash to shade and contour faces and hands. The newspaper and book held in the claw-like hands of these sitters are typical props she employed to disguise her struggle to draw realistic hands. Although her work shows evidence of a maturing style and technique, Goldsmith consistently had difficulty with perspective. In these portraits (see N0326.1961a), she attempted to create an illusion of depth by lowering the subject's right shoulder so that it might recede into the background. However, the device is unconvincing, as the resulting portraits appear somewhat distorted.
Exhibition History“Rediscovered Painters of Upstate New York,” New York Historical Society, New York, NY, February 1, 1959 – February 28, 1959; Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Syracuse, NY, January 4, 1959 – January 25, 1959; Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY, November 30, 1958 – December 21, 1958; Albany Institute of History and Arts, October 30, 1958 – November 20, 1958; Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, September 26, 1958 – October 21, 1958; New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown, NY, June 14, 1958 – September 15, 1958.
“The Paper of the State…A Bicentennial Exhibit of the Paper Folk Art of New York State,” Museum of American Folk Art, New York, NY, April 9. 1976 – June 2, 1976.
BibliographyPaul S. D’Ambrosio and Charlotte M. Emans, Folk Art’s Many Faces: Portraits in the New York State Historical Association, (Cooperstown, NY: New York State Historical Association, 1987), p.89-90, illus. as no. 48 on p.89.
The Paper of the State…A Bicentennial Exhibit of the Paper Folk Art of New York State, (exh. cat. New York: Museum of American Folk Art, 1976), n. 148.
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