Description:
Silhouettes were the most expedient and inexpensive form of portraiture available to New Englanders in the early 19th century. Profiles were so cheap, costing about ten cents apiece, that an artist's profit was dependent on making them as quickly as possible. Exuberantly decorated double half-length portraits with hollow-cut silhouette faces of Justus Smith (1790-1846) and Jerusha Montague Smith (1797-1835) of Ashfield who married in 1820, which came in their original black-painted frame decorated with gold foliate sprays. The back is inscribed in ink, "Justus Smith / Born March 23rd 1790 / Died Feb 16th 1846 / & Jerusha Montague Smith / Born March 17th 1797 / Died June 1st 1835" and had a note attached, "Capt Justus Smith - and / Jerusha Montague, his / Wife / Loaned by M.S. Alden." Jerusha Montague was the daughter of Ebenezer Montague (1768-1809) and Jerusha Amsden Montague (1773-1819) who married in 1793. These silhouettes came with silhouettes of Amanda Amsden (HD 2006.1) and a young man (HD 2006.3).
Subjects:
Textile fabrics Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2006.34.2 |
