$677
Possibly to I. (or J.) H. Keely (American, 1817-1891) Pair of Husband and Wife Portraits of Peter and Mary Coolidge, of Framingham, Massachusetts . Unsigned, Mary's portrait with a Boston framer's label affixed to the stretcher which is inscribed "I.H. Keely Framingham Mass.," and is inscribed "Mary P. (Fisk) Coolidge Painted 1848" in pencil on verso, Peter's portrait is inscribed "Painted October 1846" in paint on verso. Oil on canvas, 36 1/4 x 29 in., with a Boston firm stenciled on the back of the canvas, in later matching molded giltwood frames. Condition: Canvases cleaned, stable craquelure, Peter's portrait has some retouch to his hair, upper eyelids, right shoulder, and minor spots to background; Mary's portrait has retouch to hair, eyes, cheeks, and minor spots to clothing and background. Note: According to a copy of a Coolidge family genealogy and an 1850 Framingham, Massachusetts, census accompanying the portraits, Peter Coolidge came from a family who first settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, in the mid-1600s. He was born July 2, 1787, married Mary Parkhurst Fiske (b. 1798) on July 1, 1824, and together they had three children. Peter was employed as a farmer, aged 63, in the 1850 census listing. The possible attribution for I. (or J.) H. Keely is based on a work signed by the artist in an advertisement in the magazine Antiques , November, 1983, p. 87. The New York Historical Society's Directory of Artists in America, 1564-1860 states that Keely wa Read more…
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2013-11-14
