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At age eighteen, Emmons married his first wife, Mary A. Wilson of Norwich, Connecticut on October 8, 1835. For a short time, he resided in Norwich where he began painting half-length portraits of local citizens in oil on canvas. By 1841, he was advertising his services for "Portrait and Miniature Painting" in the "Norwich Courier" stating that "having recently had the benefit of instruction from many of the first artists of our county, he would invite the public to call and judge for themselves as to his abilities as an artist." By 1834, he had moved to Hartford, Connecticut where he opened his first studio and commenced business as a landscape and portrait painter, as well as an instructor of pupils in art.
In 1848, he returned to Norwich where he received a commission from Charles Johnson, president of the Old Norwich Bank, to paint thirty-two portraits of prominent men of the community. Emmons received twenty-five dollars per portrait or a total of eight hundred dollars for his work, which he completed in three years. Mr. Johnson is believed to have solicited Emmons, not only because he desired to preserve the likeness of men honored and respected in the community, but also to provide subjects for a painter whose work he admired and for someone whom he wished to encourage.
Emmons spent most of his artistic career painting portraits in the vicinity of Norwich, Connecticut. However, he occasionally traveled outside the areas for other commissions. In a letter to his brother dated March 15, 1849, Emmons stated he would be unable to attend his wedding and "...regret it much but I have pledged my word to be in N York the first of April to paint two heads..." On January 24, 1853, Emmons married his second wife, Elizabeth English, also of Norwich.
In 1868, the artist made an extended tour through Europe visiting art galleries and studying works of art by Old Masters. Upon returning to Norwich, Emmons showed considerable development in his painting style and technique, the result of his foreign travels. He died in Norwich on October 28, 1884 at the age of sixty-eight and was buried with his palette and brushes according to his request.
From 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. 75-77.
ProvenanceFrederick Fairchild Sherman, Westport, Connecticut; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Lipman, Wilton, Connecticut; Mr. Stephen C. Clark, Sr., Cooperstown, New York
BibliographyPaul S. D'Ambrosio and Charlotte M. Emmans, "Folk Art's Many Faces: Portraits in the New York State Historical Association," Cooperstown, NYSHA, 1987, pp. 75-77, illus. as no. 42.
Attributed to
Alexander Hamilton Emmons
(1816 - 1879)
Girl of Reed Family
Datec. 1835
DimensionsSight: 4 × 3 1/2 in. (10.2 × 8.9 cm)
Object numberN0070.1961(02)
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextAlexander Hamilton Emmons was born on December 12, 1816 to Noadiah and Elizabeth Emmons of East Haddam, Connecticut. A house painter by trade, Emmons's interest in portraiture emerged when he made a sketch of a fellow worker which bore a close resemblance to the subject. Encouraged by his success at achieving this likeness, he began drawing portrait miniatures in watercolor on bristol board. To date, only a small number of Emmons's miniatures have been recorded to document his early, unschooled work. The two modestly rendered profile portraits depicting a boy (N0070.61(1)) and girl of the Reed Family demonstrate the artist's sensitive appreciation of his subjects' appearance. Emmons meticulously recorded their facial features with delicate lines and employed stippled brush strokes of color to add contour and form to their portraits. By outlining faces in dark tones of red or black and flanking shoulders in stippled surrounds, Emmons offsets these profiles against their neutral ground.At age eighteen, Emmons married his first wife, Mary A. Wilson of Norwich, Connecticut on October 8, 1835. For a short time, he resided in Norwich where he began painting half-length portraits of local citizens in oil on canvas. By 1841, he was advertising his services for "Portrait and Miniature Painting" in the "Norwich Courier" stating that "having recently had the benefit of instruction from many of the first artists of our county, he would invite the public to call and judge for themselves as to his abilities as an artist." By 1834, he had moved to Hartford, Connecticut where he opened his first studio and commenced business as a landscape and portrait painter, as well as an instructor of pupils in art.
In 1848, he returned to Norwich where he received a commission from Charles Johnson, president of the Old Norwich Bank, to paint thirty-two portraits of prominent men of the community. Emmons received twenty-five dollars per portrait or a total of eight hundred dollars for his work, which he completed in three years. Mr. Johnson is believed to have solicited Emmons, not only because he desired to preserve the likeness of men honored and respected in the community, but also to provide subjects for a painter whose work he admired and for someone whom he wished to encourage.
Emmons spent most of his artistic career painting portraits in the vicinity of Norwich, Connecticut. However, he occasionally traveled outside the areas for other commissions. In a letter to his brother dated March 15, 1849, Emmons stated he would be unable to attend his wedding and "...regret it much but I have pledged my word to be in N York the first of April to paint two heads..." On January 24, 1853, Emmons married his second wife, Elizabeth English, also of Norwich.
In 1868, the artist made an extended tour through Europe visiting art galleries and studying works of art by Old Masters. Upon returning to Norwich, Emmons showed considerable development in his painting style and technique, the result of his foreign travels. He died in Norwich on October 28, 1884 at the age of sixty-eight and was buried with his palette and brushes according to his request.
From 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. 75-77.
ProvenanceFrederick Fairchild Sherman, Westport, Connecticut; Mr. and Mrs. Howard Lipman, Wilton, Connecticut; Mr. Stephen C. Clark, Sr., Cooperstown, New York
BibliographyPaul S. D'Ambrosio and Charlotte M. Emmans, "Folk Art's Many Faces: Portraits in the New York State Historical Association," Cooperstown, NYSHA, 1987, pp. 75-77, illus. as no. 42.
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