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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
DimensionsSight: 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 Text
This painting of Priscilla Wharff and its mate, a portrait of Jonathan Wharff, are two of four known portraits by this unidentified artist. Stylistically related, all of the portraits are composed within an oval with each sitter holding a personalized object. 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.
These portraits descended in the family until they were separated probably in the early 20th century. Jonathan Wharf's portrait was found in Maine in 1950 and given to the museum in 1961. When descendents gave the portrait of Priscilla Wharf to the museum in 1990, the siblings were reunited.
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
On view
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