Noble Dreams Labels
Noble Dreams, Simple Pleasures/MN Collects Label Copy February 2008 Folk Art Anonymous (New England) Wooden box with painted tassels, 1800–25 Wood, pigment Collection of Samuel D. and Patricia N. McCullough Storing everyday items has been a necessity for people of every era. Making a utilitarian storage object a thing of beauty that enhances the domestic environment has remained a persistent challenge. Early American households resolved the dilemma of form versus function through the creation of painted or carved boxes, in which they could stow away such items as extra candles, salt, tea, documents, and various keepsakes. John Brewster, Jr., 1766–1854 Portrait of Rebecca Warren , 1805–10 Oil on canvas Collection of Samuel D. and Patricia N. McCullough Rebecca Warren, 1795–? Fair Musicians, c. 1805–10 Silk embroidery Collection of Samuel D. and Patricia N. McCullough Collectors are gratified when they acquire works that bear a direct relationship to each other, and the owners of the portrait (at right) and the silk-embroidered vignette (at left) were delighted when fate placed these two works in their path. Discovered in the original family homestead in Eastern Connecticut, each attests to a connection between the artist, John Brewster, Jr., and the family of Rebecca Warren. John Brewster, Jr., the son of a doctor, grew up in a very enlightened household in Hampton, Connecticut. Born a deaf-mute, his artistic talent provided him with independence and a means by which he could earn a living. Traveling along the coast of New England, he used advertisements to announce his talents and availability, and the written word to communicate with prospective clients.
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