Americana & Folk Art

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Introducing several members of the Watson family, Hannah Watson, Honry (maybe it says Henry, but it honestly looks like an "o") Lee, and Ellon Watson (I'm having the same problem with the "o" versus "e".  I bought a number of single, unframed cut & paste silhouettes of the Watson family many years ago and they have remained unframed in a drawer.  This trio made it to a period maple frame with acid-free light grey matboard separating them (the closest color to the light grey card on which they are placed.  I have always thought that these were the amateur work of one of the Watson young ladies, practicing her artistic skills.  Lately, I've begun to wonder whether they might be the work of J. Gapp.  Gapp's figures always held something in their hands, purses or reticules, books, hats, gloves, etc.  His women had tiny feet which peeked out of the hem of their dresses.  The only thing that prevents me from giving these an "attribution" is that Gapp seemed to have a real problem cutting the legs of his men so he tended to cut one single wide leg from which two feet stuck out.  This man obviously has two well-cut legs.  So, perhaps they are the work of one of the young ladies, or perhaps the family visited an itinerant silhouettist and had everyone in the family cut plus got duplicates, and perhaps.....just perhaps, Gapp had improved on his leg-cutting ability.  Whatever, the cut-work is very well done.  Hannah Watson has a beautiful profile with a slightly upturned nose.  She wears large sleeves (probably the imbecile variety) and a turned down collar.  Her hair is done up in an Apollo knot and she holds a book.  Honry (or Henry) coat with tails, a high rolled collar to the jacket and a high shirt collar.  He holds his top hat.  Ellon (or Ellen) holds a delicate reticule with a very well formed hand.  Her pelisse covers he shoulders and half of her large sleeves (also probably imbecile sleeves).  The front of her dress has bows or something similar that beautifully adorn the figure.  She, too, wears a high Apollo knot in her hair.  The back of each silhouette is lightly inscribed with the sitter's name in period ink.  They reside in a period maple frame which measures 18 3/4" x 15".  The frame has untouched patina including some craquelere and quite a bit of grime....I, personally, love the patina of the frame.  This is a fun and interesting group of silhouettes, all dated 1833.

(#3027)     $875

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