Unknown - portrait of Rev Mr Roush

Although this miniature has the sitter's name on the reverse, it has proved difficult to find out anything about him. At top left it is inscribed either "Rev Mr Roush" or "Rev Wm Roush", or less likely "Routh".

Without being exceptional, the miniature is well painted and the pointed shape of the nose is reminiscent of the work of James Peale (1749-1831) of Philadelphia. For example, a portrait said to be of James Ladson painted by him in 1799. Peale did his best work between 1786 and 1805, and in his work after 1805 he is said to have been assisted by his daughter Anna Claypoole Peale (1791-1878).

The pose of this miniature is similar to that of miniatures by both Peale and his daughter, and if a joint work would be less likely to be signed. From the discussion about casework as below, it is believed the miniature probably dates to 1810-1815 and was probably painted in Philadelphia.The name Roush, changed from Rausch, did occur in the Philadelphia area. He is likely therefore to be related to John Roush or Jacob Roush, both of Philadelphia, who were born in the mid 18C and died after 1815.

One way to date the miniature is by studying the casework which helps to confirm it as an American portrait. I have discussed elsewhere the effect of the 1808 Embargo Act on American miniature portraits. As a consequence of the trade war, it was not possible to import cases and glasses from Britain. Hence for a period of several years from 1808-1815 miniature painters had to make cases out of whatever they could find. In this instance there is, unusually, an inner and outer glass, both with metal bezels as shown in the photographs here. It appears the miniature was made to fit the inner bezel, itself made to fit an available glass. There being no indication of any hanger.  As the miniature was then too small for a standard case, the inner half-case and miniature were then placed inside a rectangular ebonised case, which appears to be more likely of French origin, trade with France being easier than with Britain. The miniature is therefore very collectible as being a good example of an Embargo Act "make-do" case. 1485

Unknown - portrait of Martha Washington

This miniature portrait, only 40mm x 32mm in size, was offered on eBay as a miniature portrait of an unknown lady, being advertised as;
 "Antique Early 1800's Bonnet Lady Portrait Miniature on Enamel 14K Gold Case. Shabby Chic Condition Glass Back Case 15.27 grams".

As such there was limited price competition, even though there were a total of 21 bids, and it was fortunately purchased for this collection for less than the value of the gold content, $160. Thus bargains can occasionally be found even on eBay, that is, provided one is careful and does one's research beforehand as far as practical.

As can be seen by comparison with the photograph below, it is now revealed as a portrait of Martha Washington. As such it is a copy on enamel of the miniature portrait on ivory by James Peale (1749-1831), painted in 1796 and now residing at Mount Vernon.

American miniatures on enamel are very uncommon, with one of the very few artists to use the technique being William Russell Birch (1755-1834). Whilst it would be nice to believe it was a contemporary copy by Birch in a later frame, that seems unlikely. Thus it more likely dates from around the time of the Centennial celebrations of 1875-1876. It is unknown whether other examples on enamel were painted at the same time, although no other examples have yet been noticed. Nevertheless it is very well painted, as enamel miniatures require a great deal of skill. That is because the glass pigments used melt at different temperatures, so the adding of different colours takes several firings, as the pigments also change colour during the intense heat of the firing process. Due to that intense method of manufacture, unlike miniatures on ivory, the enamel colours will never fade. The greatest risk thereafter being of scratches to the enamel, or cracking, which is almost impossible to remedy. In addition, the gold-work is exquisite. 1473

Freeman, George - portrait of a man

This finely painted miniature portrait is signed with an incised signature by George Freeman (1787-1868), an American miniature painter who worked in both the United States and in England. The sitter is unknown, but the detail of the sitter's clothing, and indeed his facial features are very well painted, better than can be seen in this image. 1482

An early book, "Art and Artists in Connecticut", by H.W. French, written in 1879, records of him.
Among the names unfortunately forgotten by historians is that of George Freeman, born at Spring Hill, near Mansfield Centre, Conn., April 21, 1789.  He was a painter of miniature portraits on porcelain and ivory, and of no small repute either in England or America.  His father was a farmer of very moderate means, and all that he was in later years resulted from his own personal efforts.  Of the earlier pictures of his painting that remain are one of Mrs. Sigourney, and several in possession of Mrs. H.B. Beach of Hartford, executed about 1810.  In 1813 he went abroad, remaining in Europe twenty-four years; which accounts for Mr. Dunlap's oversight.  He returned without warning, and took dinner with his father, telling him he had met his son in Paris and London.  In the latter city his work was highly praised, and he received the distinguished honor of being allowed to paint Queen Victoria and Prince Albert from life. He died in Hartford March 7, 1868.
Included in this collection there is also a miniature portrait of a young lady as below, which was painted on his return to America. Freeman, George - portrait of a lady

Stump, Samuel John - portrait of a young man

The sitter is unknown in this miniature portrait of c1815-1825, but it is signed "Stump pinxt". Samuel John Stump (1778-1863) was a very competent artist who is believed to have been born in USA, although it is not known where. As such he has been included with other American miniatures. He worked in London, Brighton, Zurich, and Geneva. Unfortunately the miniature is warped and hence the scanned image does not adequately reflect his skill. 1478

Trott, Benjamin - portrait of a man

This particular miniature was advertised on eBay by a specialist art dealer in Paris as;
 ANTIQUE French Empire Miniature Painting on Ivory Gentleman c1800 Ebonized Frame You are viewing an exquisite French miniature portrait of a gentleman circa 1790 to 1810. I have taken lots of closeup photographs to show the quality of the painting. The detail in the man's hair and scarf is exceptional. It comes with what looks like the original lacquered frame with an oval gilt brass surround and an oak and acorn hanger. The image measures approximately 3 x 2 1/3 inches; the frame measures approximately 6 x 5 1/4 inches. Both painting and frame show signs of wear consistent with an antique around 200 years old. Some chipping to the frame (which appears to be papier mache), and some scratching and paint oxidation to the portrait (please refer to photos or email me with specific condition questions). The piece comes with its convex glass which has no cracks or chips. Shipping will be $15 internationally from France. Please view my feedbacks and bid with confidence on this great European artwork.

Although this one of an unknown man was advertised in France, early miniatures did sometimes cross and recross the Atlantic with settlers or with residents returning to Europe.  In this instance, the distinctive style of the background made me believe it was by the noted American artist, Benjamin Trott (1770-1843). Despite some minor paint disturbance at the very bottom, at a price of $325 it was therefore a fortunate 'bargain'. The price being fair for an unknown artist, but enhanced by an attribution to Trott, which seems a fair and reasonable attribution, but it is always difficult to be 100% sure of an artist.

Trott lived in Philadelphia in 1806-1820. He was noted for the tousled hair of his sitters and after 1800 a technique of assured, dashing, fluid brushwork applied in natural, clear, colors. Backgrounds with a sky motif were created by floating on this washes of white and blue and leaving large areas of the ivory unpainted. These characteristics can be seen here.

There is in the Guest Gallery this right above portrait by Trott where a similar cloud effect can be seen and the effect can also be seen in various other portraits by Trott.   Guest Gallery: Trott, Benjamin - portrait of Dr John Floyd The Metropolitan Museum has this portrait of Charles Floyd by Trott to the right, which presumably depicts a brother of Dr John Floyd. The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Charles Floyd

Another interesting point about the new addition to this collection is the framing. I have written previously expressing views about the impact of the Embargo Act on American miniatures, and concern about those dealers who remove original frames and replace them with more attractive frames to enhance the selling value. Sometimes that is unavoidable if the frame is damaged, but I believe the 'make-do' frames of 1808-1812 are a special case and should be retained as legitimate and important evidence of the effects on trade of the Embargo Act. A search of this website will bring up more comments, such as those at 3 American Miniature Portraits: Unknown French artist - Unknown ...

In this instance a sliver of additional ivory can be seen on the extreme right of the unframed portrait. This was used to try and fill the observable view from the front, but from the rear it is obvious the case was still too large. This, and the use of an ebonised type frame, allows me to date the miniature as painted in Philadelphia in 1808-1812. The Embargo Act prevented the importation of oval gold casework from Britain. Artists often still had residual stock of blank ivory plaques, but new gold metal cases and glasses were unavailable.

It may surprise non-collectors to realise that early miniatures slightly vary in size and oval shape. As a result between 1808-1812 artists had to either make up cases from scrap material or use frames of slightly the wrong size. In this instance Trott needed to use an ebonised frame slightly too large and hence needed to add a sliver of ivory on the right. 1476



Recently Cowan's Auctions advertised the right hand miniature of Henry Clay by Benjamin Trott with an estimate of $6000-$8000 despite it being cracked down the middle. This indicates how significant the sitter can be in establishing a price for a miniature portrait.  That on the left was sold as lot 475 by Freeman's for $10,000 in April 2010, it being a portrait of John Baldwin Large (1780-1866). However, both those prices seem rather high for Trott as an artist, so there may have been special circumstances. The Freeman's estimate was $3000-$5000 which seems more reasonable, although it has to be admitted miniatures by the better American artists are increasingly difficult to find.

Much later: a kind visitor has forwarded this photo of a family ancestor depicted in a very good miniature by Benjamin Trott; it is of William Newton Lane (1772-1822).

Although not all Trott's miniatures are painted in the same way, the commonality of style in the examples here gives a good indication of what to look for.




Later again, June 2016 - As an indication of the often limited expert knowledge about American Miniatures, I recently noted Lot 133, as below, at Americana & Fine and Decorative Art: Important Kentucky Estates 06/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT Cowan's Auctions

This lot had an estimate of $50-$100, but I was fairly confident the man was painted by Benjamin Trott. I opted not to bid, but as the item was being auctioned for charity, I decided it was only fair to send Cowans an email prior to the auction, saying I believed it was by Benjamin Trott. I do not know whether they mentioned that at the time of the auction, but it was clear that other collectors had a similar view, as it sold for $3,075. 

However, if it had been properly catalogued I believe it could have sold for even more. The moral of the story is that catalogue descriptions are often inaccurate, and it is still possible to locate bargains.

Henri, Pierre - portrait of a lady

This miniature portrait has some paint disturbance to the left of the face, but is otherwise in good condition for an age of around 200 years. It was acquired unframed, so was little regarded by the previous owner.

The appeal of the portrait is that it may possibly be by Pierre Henri (1760-1822), a French artist who emigrated to America around the time of the French Revolution. The extra lace around the neck of the dress and hairstyle date to around 1815-1820, so the date is acceptable for Henri, as a later work when he was troubled by gout which affected the quantity and quality his work

His work is often characterized by over large heads which tend to be placed high on the ivory. He tended to pay more attention to the detail of clothing than some other miniature painters active in America at that time.

Johnson notes that the features are strongly delineated, with large round eyes and a slightly curling mouth. Skin tones are pale and backgrounds of a neutral shade. Although he often signed his work this was note always the case.

Below for comparison is another portrait in this collection which is by Pierre Henri  Henri, Pierre - portrait of John Glover Cowell This other one was painted around 1795-1800 and has similarities as well as differences. Thus the attribution of the lady to Henri can only be tentative. 1467

Unknown - portrait of young lady

This is a well painted portrait by an American artist and dates to around 1845. Sadly, the sitter is unknown, but the style of the portrait suggests it was painted shortly after the daguerreotype was introduced in 1840, as the sitter is gazing at the artist is a manner seen in early photographs, when it was necessary to keep absolutely still while the photo was taken.

The artist is unknown, although there are some similarities with the work of Moses B Russell.  The sitter has a strong chin and looks to be a determined young lady. 1468

Wood, Joseph - portrait of a naval officer

Although there is a preference for named sitters, this attractive miniature was acquired from New York as an unidentified naval officer by an unknown artist. It was housed in an out of period daguerreotype case dating to twenty years later. As such it was not an easy miniature to attribute to an artist, especially from an Internet image.

However, on arrival the sky background was found to be somewhat brighter than had been expected which assisted. After side by side comparison with many other examples and searching through reference books it has seemed appropriate to attribute the miniature to Joseph Wood (1778-1840) who worked in New York. On the sitter's right shoulder (i.e. the viewer's left) can be seen a shoulder flash, indicating he was a naval officer, perhaps a Lieutenant?

Wood was the son of a New York farmer and ran away from home at age 15 to New York City where he became apprenticed to a silversmith. He learned to paint by copying miniatures which had been left with the silversmith for mounting. In 1801 he established himself as an oil portrait and miniature painter. In 1803 he was joined in partnership by John Wesley Jarvis (1780-1840) and around that time was also taught more about miniature painting by Edward Greene Malbone (1777-1807). The partnership with Jarvis had ended by 1810 and in 1811 Wood took on Nathaniel Rogers (1787-1844) as an apprentice, before moving to Philadelphia in c1813 and Washington c1816-18. During his last years he became noted for a dissolute lifestyle and undertook few commissions. From this brief outline it is clear his main output as a miniature painter was restricted to about 25 years, 1801-c1825.

Attribution of the miniature to Wood, made it possible to suggest why the case was mismatched. In 2009 I noted the miniature depicted here in a "make-do" ebonised frame, was likely by Joseph Wood when it sold on eBay to another buyer. In this example Wood has made the background made darker, which was necessary in this instance to contrast with the sitter's white hair. As I mentioned in 2009, in my opinion the case for this second miniature, as showing here, was an important example of make-do Embargo casework, dictated by shortages of British casework supplies during the War, as has been discussed elsewhere. It is therefore likely the earlier case for the naval officer fell to pieces and the miniature was rehoused in a daguerreotype case.

The process also resulted in a decision to write a brief research paper on Joseph Wood when it became clear that several miniatures attributed to him were by different artists. The paper demonstrates why the above examples are believed to be by the same artist and can be seen at Discussing Joseph Wood at View 1465

De Lagercrantz, Ava - portrait of a gentleman

Although the sitter in this American miniature portrait is unknown, the artist is Ava de Lagercrantz, born as Hedvig Gustafa Lagercrantz (9 July 1862-6 May 1938), a Swedish royal portrait painter, active in Sweden (painting Oscar II and Gustav V), New York (1903-1923), Stockholm (1923 to 1936) and Paris (1936-1938).

Her photograph shows her a a young woman. She studied with Kerstin Cardon in Stockholm and Professor Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) in Paris. She exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1888, 1889 and 1890. In Paris, she painted a portrait of August Strindberg (1849-1912), which now hangs at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. In 1935 she had an exhibition in the Artists' House in Stockholm. It was during her residence in New York, which she twice called back to Sweden, to paint the above noted reigning monarchs.

Lagercrantz was a cousin of Sweden's Ambassador in Washington, Herman Lagercrantz and this became a gateway for orders for portraits in oils, pastels and miniatures from the diplomatic corps, the world of opera and prominent New Yorkers. She was the daughter of Vice Admiral Jacob Reinhold Lagercrantz. Her well-executed portrait of the father was awarded the First Prize at the Paris Salon 1890th In the 1889 Paris Salon, she up with a self-portrait, reproduced in the catalog. Ava's uncle was Sweden's finance minister Gustav Lagercrantz .

The Ava called themselves the Lagercrantz rather than just Lagercrantz had in New York, the purpose, to inform clients that she was of noble (and non-jew) birth and therefore entitled to a slightly higher fee than other, otherwise comparable artists.

Ava died unmarried and childless. She also painted landscapes. Her photographic portrait as an older woman is held by Harvard University.

She participated in Exhibitions by Swedish-American Artists at the Swedish Club of Chicago and was listed in the Women's Who's Who of America for 1914/1915;
Lagercrantz Ava de, Carnegie Hall, 883 Seventh Av., N.T. City. Portrait and miniature painter; b. Carlscrona, Sweden; daughter of Vice-Admiral Jakob Reindold and Nedvig Otilia (Llndstrom) de Lagercrantz; educated in Sweden, studied art in Paris with Jules Lefebvre, Benjamin Constant, Tony Robert Fleury. Has exhibited in Paris Salon and various countries abroad, and in the United States. Painted King Oscar II and Princess Therese of Sweden; was called back in 1908 to Stockholm to paint King Gustaf V (miniature); has painted other royalties and many noted people. Resident of N.Y. City since 1903. Member N.Y. Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage.

It is interesting to note her membership of an anti-sufferage organisation. This may have been a pragmatic move, designed to avoid alienating potential sitters. 1453

Hooper, Rosa - portraits of Palo Alto couple

This pair of miniature portraits of an unknown couple are by the American artist Rosa Hooper (19 Jul 1876-11 Mar 1963). She was born in San Francisco which makes her unusual as a miniature painter from the West Coast as most artists were from the East Coast. She was the founder of the California Society of Miniature Painters in 1912 which continued to exist until 1972. There are several miniatures in this collection by later presidents of that society, including Martha Baxter and Katherine Starr.

Although the sitters are unknown, the portraits were acquired from Palo Alto where Hooper lived. The sitters would have been wealthy residents of the area, so it may be possible to find contemporary portraits in social pages or family albums that would enable the sitters to be identified.

Hooper began her art studies at the Mark Hopkins Institute and continued under Mne. de Billemont in Paris and Otto Eckhardt in Dresden. She wed Chas A. Plotner in 1903 but divorced him to marry Wm Lyon in 1911. She was a resident of San Francisco, Palo Alto, La Jolla, and died in Millbrae, CA on March 11, 1963. Member: SF Women Painters; Spinner's Club (SF); San Diego Art Guild. Exh: SFAA, 1900-1912; Sketch Club, 1907; Alaska-Yukon Exp.

The Rootsweb site includes a lot of information about her kindly collected by other researchers;
From: Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California November 7, 1908
OVER THE CUPS OF THE KEENEY TEA.
"Miss Kathleen de Young's Persian lamb coat attracted a great deal of admiration at the Keeney tea. Mrs. Selby Hanna and Mrs. Rosa Plotner were among the most colorful and animated pictures there. ..."

From: Oakland Tribune October 7, 1908
..." Mrs. Charles Plotner, who was formerly Miss Rosa Hooper, is one of the society girls of San Francisco who has developed her talent charmingly and is now a leading member of the artistic world of this city. Her miniature work has won her much fame and a number of beautiful women have been exquisitely portrayed by her." ...

From Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California July 2, 1910
PLANS THAT ENDED IN DIVORCE
"The bit fire caused countless upsets in countless callings in San Francisco and the husband quickly discovered that there are few congenial vocations open to a retired army officer unacquainted with another profession. Husband and wife fondled the deceptive notion that with their experience in living in a hotel they could conduct one successfully. Mrs. Plotner was enthusiastic over an idea of her own to make the care and happiness of the children in a captivating playground the special feature of the new hotel. So the San Margo was leased with a large part of her funds. It proved an unfortunate venture. She returned to miniature painting and gave teas in her studio to which society dutifully responded. Later the domestic friction impelled her to go to Honolulu. She returned from there not long ago and began to lay plans to open up a studio in the city of New York. Of late she has been dividing her time between her stepmother's ranch at Mountain View and the office of her attorney in this city while preparing the divorce on the ground of failure to provide. There is one child a boy. After the hotel failure the husband tried his hand for brief seasons in the motor business and in the jewery line. He is now somewhere in the oil fields - The Wasp. "

From Oakland Tribune, Oakland California May 8, 1921
"Rosa Hooper-Lyon, whose new studio at 1551 Emerson street, Palo Alto, has become a rendezvous for artists visiting at Standford, exhibited her miniatures yesterday at a studio tea, a portrait of Miss Mary Creed Howard, her newest bit of work. Several other portraits on ivory were presented, all characteristic of the artist who had made a distinctive place for herself before The Fire wiped out her studio."

From Oakland Tribune, Oakland California October 1, 1922
"Rosa Hooper Lyon will exhibit the miniature portrait of Mrs. P. L. Seamans of Palo Alto today at the studio of the painter, 2348 Hyde street in San Francisco."

A clipping from the Republican dated October 13, 1922 invites Fresnans to see an exhibition of California landscapes by Bertha Stringer Lee and portrait miniatures by Rose Hooper Lyon in the Hotel Fresno. It apparently was the first art show in Fresno open to the public.

From Place Names of the High Sierra (1926) by Francis P. Farquhar - ROSE LAKE - named by R. B. Marshall, U. S. G. S., for Rosa Hooper, daughter of Major William Burchell Hooper, of San Francisco, and sister of Selden S. Hooper, an assistant of the U. S. G. S. Miss Hooper is now a miniature painter in New York.

From Daily Herald Middletown Times Press, Middletown, New York August 6, 1927
MINIATURES TO FORM PART OF FAIR EXHIBIT
"A choice collection of valuable miniatures has just been announced by Miss Anna M. Walling, superintendent of the domestic department, as one of thenew exhibits at the Orange county fair, which open August 15.
These miniatures are the work of Rose Hooper, of San Francisco and New York, who has been spending part of the summer with Dr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Yocum at their home in Middletown.
Mrs. Hooper is a miniature portrait painter of note and many times a medalist. She won the golf medal at the Panama Pacific Exposition and also at the Lewis Clark Exposition at Seatle. She has studied extensively abroad and exhibited her work in all important exhibitions, both in this country and in Europe."

SS BARBARA Sailing from San Juan Puerto Rico Dec 16 or 18, 1939, Arriving at Port of Philadelphia, PA Dec 21, 1939
Rosa Hooper, 53 years, 5 months, single, born San Francisco, Cal. July 19, 1886. Address in US: % Lt. S. G. Hooper, U.S.S. Boris, Norfolk, Va.

Exhibition of Miniature Paintings by Rose Hooper at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C. April 18, 1940 to May 4, 1940.

As mentioned above, one of the artists she trained with was Otto Eckardt and there are a number of miniature portraits by him in this collection including an important Marmet family group of nine miniatures; 20C - American Miniature Portraits: Eckardt, Otto - portraits of ... other examples by him in the collection are 20C - American Miniature Portraits: Eckardt, Otto - portrait of Jane and 20C - American Miniature Portraits: Eckardt, Otto - portrait of John 1462, 1463

Unknown - portrait of a boy holding a gun

Although it is highly appealing, I am uncertain about the artist who painted this miniature portrait. It is certainly American and highly unusual to show a boy holding a toy gun. Normally, boys were depicted with a hoop, whip, top, or toy horse, whereas girls were depicted with flowers or a doll.

The miniature is housed in a red leather case and the ivory is 112mm x 84mm. Boys wore clothing like this for a number of years from about 1790, but I believe it is later than that, probably about 1820 and from the North East United States.

It is possibly by Anson Dickinson. I say that as the cases of some of his early works show a print of a child on the silk lining. However, that is far from certain and it is hoped a collector of American miniature portraits can suggest the artist.

I do not think it is by Nathaniel Rogers as differences of style can be seen by comparison with this miniature of three children painted by Rogers c1820, where the boy has a similar collar, for more about that see View

In fact although Rogers was very clever in painting heads, his figures are somewhat awkward in comparison, with the pose of the central child here strained, compared to the natural pose of the boy holding a gun.

As always, it is frustrating not to know the name of the sitter and unfortunately there are no clues here. 1453

Mundy, Ethel Frances - portrait of Dorothy Kane

This wax miniature portrait by Ethel Frances Mundy is the largest one I have seen.

It is 200mm (8ins) in diameter. Although the miniature needs a little restoration and the original frame is missing, it is a rare artwork from the early 20C.

Part of the damage can be seen in her hairpiece, which has been flattened by the close proximity and rigidity of a replacement flat glass. That has now been replaced by a perspex cover. The portrait is a little out of focus here, but for a wax portrait to be in such good condition after 100 years and still retain its colors is welcome.

The portrait is inscribed "Dorothy Kane - Anno Domini MCMXIII" (1913) and signed "Ethel Mundy".

It is surprising that so few Art Museums in USA hold portraits by Ethel Mundy. It may be as the wealthy families still possess her miniatures. Mundy was commissioned by many famous families to make portraits in wax. This one is connected to the Astor family and a second one acquired at the same time is connected to the Wanamaker family.

The sitter is Helen Dorothea Kane (2 Aug 1886-1938) who was born in Bar Harbor, Maine and married Seymour Johnson on 17 Feb 1916.

The Astor connection was highlighted in this engagement announcement of 28 November 1915. As an example of the family wealth, in the 1910 census Dorothy and her family lived with seven servants.

When she applied for her passport in 1922, she advised it was to enable her to visit; British Isles, France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Gibralter, Algeria, Tangier, Egypt, Constantinople, Thesius, Suez, Syria, and Czechoslovakia. Also Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Honduras, Brazil, and Colombia. Despite the family wealth, her passport photo was not flattering!

Dorothy was the younger daughter of Walter Langdon Kane (1843-1896) and Mary Rotch Hunter who was the great-great-granddaughter of Richard Stockton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

As a small indication of the vast family wealth, Dorothy inherited $29,366 on the death of her uncle John Innes Kane in 1913, which may have prompted her to have this wax miniature sculpted.

She is mentioned quite often in the society pages of the times, including as a tennis partner to her future husband.

Dorothy and her elder sister, Caroline Hunter Kane (1880-?) were, via their father, descended from John Jacob Astor (1763-1848) He was Dorothy's great-great-grandfather, with her name Dorothea being in memory of her great-grandmother Dorothea Astor (1795-1874) who married Walter Langdon in 1812.

The dress worn by Dorothy can be compared with these two fashionable outfits depicted in the New York Times of October 13, 1914.

Although the image here is not very clear, the wax miniature featured in this magazine article about Ethel Frances Mundy. The article contains a misprint as the sitter is described as "Dorothy Kean" instead of Dorothy Kane.


Other portraits by Ethel Frances Mundy (who is depicted here) which are in this collection, together with more about her career and work, can be seen at View and at View 1457

































November 2012 - A kind visitor has sent me another clipping about Ethel Frances Mundy. It is from the Sunday Post of December 4, 1949, and is a little damaged but still very interesting in adding to our knowledge about Ethel and so I have added it here.

The visitor advised as follows;
I saw your blogs about Ethel Frances Mundy, and thought you might like to see another example of her work, done in the late 1940's (I presume). It was part of a show in a Boston gallery in the fall of 1949.  I happen to know about it because of my interest in the woman portrayed, although my interest dates to a period 45-50 years earlier, when Amy designed book covers for (mostly) Boston publishers.  Her work, again if you are interested, can be seen at  www.amysacker.net