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Exhibition History“American Folk Art: Collection from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, January 25, 2001 – March 24, 2001.
“Art of the Everyman: American Folk Art from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme, CT, May 28, 2014 – September 29, 2014.
Artist
Unidentified Artist
(American)
Priscilla Wharff
Date1784
MediumOil on canvas
DimensionsFramed: 25 7/8 × 18 7/8 × 1 1/2 in. (65.7 × 47.9 × 3.8 cm)
Sight: 23 1/4 × 16 5/16 in. (59.1 × 41.4 cm)
Object numberN0117.1990
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Alice Christopher
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextThis painting is one of four known portraits by this unidentified artist, all of which are composed within an oval with each sitter holding a personalized object, in this case a basket of wildflowers. The style of the inscriptions identifying the sitters’ initials, age, and the date of the paintings have led to speculation that the artist was a sign painter. Priscilla’s portrait, along with that of her brother Jonathan, descended in the family until they were separated probably in the early 20th century. Jonathan’s likeness was found in Maine in 1950 and given to the Museum in 1961. When descendants gave the portrait of Priscilla Wharff to the Fenimore Art Museum in 1990, the siblings were reunited. Born in 1778 and 1781 respectively, Priscilla and Jonathan may not have realized that they were born in a war-torn country whose ultimate fate was still in the balance.Exhibition History“American Folk Art: Collection from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, January 25, 2001 – March 24, 2001.
“Art of the Everyman: American Folk Art from the Fenimore Art Museum,” Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme, CT, May 28, 2014 – September 29, 2014.
On View
Not on view
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