. 1 (QacttcU Itttoeraitg SIthrarg atljata, JJeto lark BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF HENRY W. SAGE 1891 Cornell University Library N7616 .W55 Heirlooms in miniatures / 3 1924 030 651 933 olln Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030651933 HEIRLOOMS IN MINIATURES SIXTH EDITION I HEIRLOOMS IN MINIATURES BY ANNE HOLLINGSWORTH WHARTON WITH A CHAPTER ON MINIATURE PAINTING BY EMILY DRAYTON TAYLOR WITH NUMEROUS REPRODUCTIONS OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF COLONIAL, REVOLUTIONARY, AND MODERN MINIA- TURE PAINTERS PHILADELPHIA & LONDON J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY Copyright, i8g7 by J. B. Lippincott Company TO HELEN BELL WHOSE FRIENDSHIP WAS A JOY, WHOSE MEMORY IS AN INSPIRATION PREFACE To gather together some interesting and representative American miniatures, and to accompany them with a brief record of the individuals whom they represent, was the first intention of the author of this volume. In the course of her researches, and while in corre- spondence with families owning precious heir- looms in miniatures, so much of interest was brought to light with regard to early American painters, that this book has grown into a chronicle of the sayings and doings of the artists, as well as of those whom they por- trayed. For this divergence from her original design the writer feels that she need make no apology, in view of the interest that belongs to the reminiscences and anecdotes which have thus been brought to light, our early artists being men of attractive personality, whose histories are inseparably connected with their country's progress in the arts and sciences, as well as with her Colonial and her Revolu- tionary life. PREFACE Without in any sense attempting to supply the much needed history of American art for which the ^vriter has in vain sought the libra- ries of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, she ventures to believe that she here presents many facts with regard to the art life of the country which are unknown to the general reader, in connection with much family data, historical and reminiscent. The author desires to express her thanks to those who have confided to her care the originals of miniatures which are here repro- duced, and takes pleasure in making her acknowledgments for the use of diaries, letters, and family data to Miss Elizabeth Hesselius Murray, of West River, Maryland; to General Charles W. Darling, of Utica, New York ; to Mr. Jonathan Trumbull, of Norwich, Connecticut, and to Miss Blanche Sully, Miss Anna and Miss Mary Peale, Mrs. Henry S. Huidekoper, Miss Hannah M. Milligan, Dr. Charles E. Cadwalader, the Honorable Craig Biddle, Mr. James S. Biddle, Mr. Horace W. Sellers, Dr. Albert Peale, and Mr. Walter P. Brown, of Philadelphia. For a valuable chapter upon Miniature Painting as an Art she is indebted to her friend Mrs. J. Madison Taylor, of Philadel- PREFACE phia, some of whose beautiful miniatures adorn the pages of this volume. While much material has been drawn from original sources, in the form of diaries, let- ters, and recollections, the following author- ities have been consulted in the preparation of this book : Cunningham's " Lives of the Painters ;" " History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States," by William Dunlap; "Book of the Artists," by Henry T. Tuckerman ; " Art and Artists of Connecticut," by H. W^. French; " History of the Centennial of the Inauguration of Wash- ington," by Clarence W. Bowen; "Life Por- traits of George ^Vashington and Andrew Jackson," by Charles Henry Hart; " Old Kent, Maryland;" "Provincial Councillors of Penn- sylvania," by Charles P. Keith; "Autobiog- raphy of Colonel John Trumbull;" "Life of Gilbert Stuart," and "Reminiscences of New- port," by George C. Mason; "The Domestic and Artistic Life of John Singleton Copley," by Martha Babcock Amory, and " The Life of J. S. Copley," by Augustus Thorndyke Perkins. A. H. W. Philadelphia, November, 1897. CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS ¥ Page MRS. ALEXANDER BLEECKER, of New York. Miniature by Edward Greene Malbone, painted about 1803, ow^ned by Mr. Charles M. Lea, of Philadelphia . Frontispiece ARCHIBALD McCALL. Miniature owned by Richard McCall, of Philadelphia, great-grandson 13 MARY McCALL (Mrs. 'William Plumsted). Miniature owned by Mrs. Edward Hoffman, of Philadelphia, great-great-niece. Dark eyes and hair and softbluegow^n with touches of yellow 13 MRS. PHILIP ROGERS (Rebecca Young Woodward). Minia- ture by C. W. Peale, owned by a descendant, Mrs. Ridgeley, of Baltimore . xg MISS PEGGY CHAMPLIN (Mrs. Benjamin Mason, of New- port, Rhode Island). Miniature owned by Mrs. George C. Mason, of Philadelphia . 26 MRS. JACOB LEISLER (Elsje Tymans, of New York). Minia- ture owned by great-great-great-great-grcat-grandson, Mr. A. Cortland Van Rensselaer, of New York. Blue gown, white neckerchief edged w^ith lace, a muslin and lace cap on the head, tied under the chin with red ribbons, and a breast-knot of red ribbon 26 MRS. SAMUEL EMLEN (Susan Dillwyn). Miniature owned by Mrs, G. M. How^land, of Wilmington, Delaware 31 GENERAL JOHN CADWALADER . 32 MRS. JOHN CADWALADER (Elizabeth Lloyd). Both minia- tures, attributed to C. W. Peale, are owned by Mr. George McCall, of Philadelphia, great-grandson 32 CADWALADER MORRIS. Miniature, probably by C. W. Peale, owned by a descendant, Miss Hannah Morris Milligan, of Philadelphia . ... 35 MRS. SAMUEL MORRIS (Hannah Cadwalader). Miniature, probably by C. W. Peale, owned by the same. Plain Friends' dress, delicate complexion and fine coloring; the back- ground of gray-green . ... • • • 35 xiii . ILLUSTRATIONS Page MRS. CADWALADER MORRIS (Anne Strettell, of Philadel- phia) 35 AMOS STRETTELL. Both these miniatures were painted in England, and are owned by Miss Hannah Morris Milligan, of Philadelphia • . 35 JANE GREY WALL (Mrs. Thomas Shore, of Virginia). Min- iature owned by Mrs. Edward Shippen, of Baltimore . 36 JUDGE AND MRS. THOMAS HOPKINSON, of Philadelphia. Miniatures in possession of great-granddaughters, the Misses Coale, of Baltimore 42 MRS. HENRY PRATT (Rebecca Claypoole). Miniature painted prior to 1760, small, set in a brooch. Crimson gov^rn, white flowers in the hair, lace and pearls in the corsage, wrap edged with fur. Original owned by great-great-grand- daughter, Miss Mary R. Croes, of Yonkers, New York . 42 THE RIGHT REVEREND WILLIAM WHITE, of Philadel- phia, Miniature by Charles Willson Peale, painted prior to 1770, owned by grandson, Mr. Thomas Harrison White, of Philadelphia. Powdered wig, bright blue coat, cherry- colored collar, and pale yellow waistcoat 4S GEORGE BRIDGES (LORD RODNEY). Miniature by John Singleton Copley, painted in England, and now owned by Mr. Charles Henry Hart, of Philadelphia 48 MRS. JOHN CRAIG (Margaret M. Craig). Miniature, probably painted abroad, owned by grandson, Hon. Craig Biddle, of Philadelphia. Full white muslin kerchief, hair curled and powdered, with blue ribbon tied among the luxuriant curls . 75 H. R. Miniature of a French Gentleman by Jean Baptiste Isabey, owned by the Misses Cushman, of Philadelphia ... 76 MRS. JAMES MONTGOMERY (Hester Griffitts). Miniature painted in 1777 by C. W. Peale, owned by Mrs. Wharton Griffitts, of Philadelphia. Hair powdered, blue corsage trimmed with pink, and white kerchief . ... 83 MRS. CHARLES WILLSON PEALE (Rachel Brewer, of An- napolis). Miniature by C. W. Peale 83 MAJOR JONATHAN SELLMAN, of Maryland. Miniature by C. W. Peale, in possession of Mrs. M. D. Iglehart, of David- sonville, Anne Arundel County, Maryland .... go COLONEL JOHN NIXON. Miniature by C. W. Peale, owned by Mrs. Cooper Smith, of Philadelphia go COLONEL JOHN LAURENS, of South Carolina. Miniature by C. W. Peale, belongs to Henry R. Laurens, Esq., of Charles- ton, South Carolina . go xiv ILLU STRATION S Page COLEMAN SELLERS, of Philadelphia loo MRS. COLEMAN SELLERS (Sophonisba Peale). Cabinet size loo FAITH ROBINSON (afterwards Mrs. Jonathan Trumbull), of Connecticut. Miniature in possession of descendants living in Pomfret, Connecticut . ... 102 FAITH TRUMBULL (Mrs. Daniel Wadsworth), of Hartford. Miniature by John Trumbull, in Yale College collection . los GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE, 1792. Miniature by John Trumbull, in Yale College Collection . .113 MRS. JOHN TRUMBULL, wife of Colonel John Trumbull, the artist. Miniature by Elkanah Tisdale, owned by Mr. Jona- than Trumbull, of Norwich, Connecticut. Brown hair, delicate coloring, white cap with pale blue ribbons, black gown 113 JOSEPH ANTHONY, JUNIOR. Miniature attributed to his cousin, Gilbert Stuart, owned by great-granddaughter, Miss Mary B. Smith, of Philadelphia. Brown hair, florid com- plexion, blue velvet coat, white stock J24 CHRISTOPHER GREENUP, of Kentucky. Miniature painted by James Peale in 1797, owned by great-granddaughter, Miss Fanny Hagnor, of Annapolis, Maryland 127 TENCH FRANCIS. Miniature by James Peale, signed "J. P., 1798," in possession of Mrs. Howard Gardiner, of Philadel- phia. Hair powdered, brown coat, with white vest and stock, with red ribbon tied around stock ; background light . 127 REVEREND JOHN BRECKINRIDGE. Miniature by John Sartain, painted in Philadelphia in 1835, owned by Emily Sartain. Dark hair and black coat ; background dull red 129 JAMES MONROE. Miniature painted by Sene in Paris in 1794, owned by Mrs. Gouverneur, of Washington, D. C. Powdered hair, blue coat trimmed with red, delicate lace ruffles, and gray-green background ... 129 JAMES MACKUBIN, of Maryland. Miniature painted by James Peale in 1798, owned by the Misses Walton, of An- napolis, Maryland, great-great-granddaughters . 131 COLONEL TOBIAS LEAR. Original in possession of Mrs. Wilson Eyre, granddaughter. Miniature two and a half inches in length, surrounded by a double row of pearls . 131 MRS. ALEXANDER MACOMB (Catharine Navarre), of New York. Miniature by John Ramage, owned by Mrs. Daniel L. Trumbull, of Norwich, Connecticut, granddaughter. Hair rolled high and powdered ; gown, peach-colored brocade with white lace upon the corsage 134 XV ILLUSTRATIONS Page GENERAL JOHN JEREMIAH VAN RENSSELAER, of New York.