Americana & Folk Art

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Fun folky naïve portrait of a woman a black dress with long full sleeves that are gathered at regular intervals along the length.  Her dress is belted at her natural waist.  The lady has a patterned shawl draped low across her back and arms.  The color of the shawl is predominantly pumpkin (perhaps it is a paisley).  In her hands she holds a green purse with a clasp on the front.  She has a black beaded necklace--possibly onyx.  Her hair is pulled back into a plaited knot worn low on her head and held with a large comb.  Across her temples she wears short ringlets.  The portrait appears to be oil (or perhaps a very thick water-based paint such as gouache) on thick cardboard.  She resides in a larger than normal pressed brass over wood frame with.  The wooden backboard has a period inscription in a foreign language.  Although I have photographed, greatly enlarged, and computer enhanced the inscription, I can't even tell you what language the inscription is.  It seems to be either French or German.  There is a clear date of 1841.  I don't guarantee that this frame is original to the painting....if the lady was dressed this way in 1841, she was fairly out of style as her clothing and hairstyle is more in keeping with the early 1830s.  The portrait is painted into an oval on a larger piece of cardboard which fits to the edge of this frame.  I surrounded the portrait with black acid-free paper (I can't stand thick matboard on period pieces because it looks so modern....I always try to use thinner pieces of archival paper for a flatter, more period look).  The wood in the frame is so hard that I could not get nails into it to hold the back so I added the swing tabs that you see in the photo below.  All-in-all, this is a lovely piece of folk art with great colors and naïve appeal.  Framed size 5 1/2" x 7".  Image size 2 3/4" x 3 3/8".  The oval of the portrait is slightly askew on the cardboard backing, so my matting is also slightly askew.  I think it adds to the folk charm!

(#3991)    $795

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