You just don’t find many small American folk portraits with scenery in the background and you surely find few that are signed. Here is one for your collection! The “Lady in Red” poses on a patio with stone railings and column. In the background we see trees and the abstract semblance of clouds. She is painted within borders of black lines of varying thickness, creating the appearance of a mat. Our lady wears Victoria sleeves which were tight to the elbow and then baggy until the fabric gathers again at the wrist. She seems to wear two shawls: one of the same fabric as the dress and another a midnight blue. She wears a muslin indoor cap, adorned with flowers and ribbons, and a triple strand necklace that appears to be gold chain. Her wrists are adorned with white lace and one has a thin gold bracelet. A bit of moisture seems to have caused some of the black ink of the painted outline to run. It is not very noticeable in the frame. The paper has expected toning. She resides in a period gilt frame measuring 7 ¼” x 8 ¼” and shows expected wear and a piece of gilt and the gesso behind missing to the wood. The portrait is distinctively signed with and “A” and “T” that are laid one over the other. Under this unusual signature is the date 1845.

#6779    $2400