Circa 1800 Boston Silk Embroidered Picture

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About the Item

The maker of this extraordinary silk embroidery, Nancy Battelle, was born 1783 to Ebenezer Battelle (1754-1815) and Anna (Durant) Battelle. Col. Ebenezer Battelle graduated from Harvard class of 1775 and immediately entered the militia, holding the commission of colonel by the close of the war. In 1781 he established a book shop in Boston; the second ever opened in that city, in partnership with Isaiah Thompson, later the creator of the American Antiquarian Society. They operated this together for seven years, adding a circulating library to their services; interestingly, by 1830 their business was one of those that formed the nucleus of Little, Brown & Company, the publishing giant.

During those years Col. Battelle married Anna Hunt Durant, the daughter of prosperous Boston merchant, known as a lady of superior intellect and character and they had three sons and two daughters. By 1788 Col. Battelle interests turned to westward expansion and he became an associate founder and agent of the Ohio Company, the renowned land company that initiated settlement in Ohio. That same year, he left Boston to settle in Marietta, Ohio with a group of like-minded pioneers; his wife and children joined him shortly afterward. Biographical and Historical Memoirs of the Early Pioneer Settlers of Ohio by S. P. Hildred (H. W. Derby & Co, 1852) describes the substantial contributions of Col. Battelle to the early history of Ohio. He died in there in 1815.

Mrs. Battelle must have found life as an Ohio pioneer particularly trying, as this is noted in the Hildred book, which states this and adds that she "had all her life been nurtured in the comforts of a city." It seems clear that Mrs. Battelle and, likely, her daughters, returned to Boston for periods of time. In 1810 a fine portrait of Mrs. Battelle was painted by America's finest portrait artist, Gilbert Stuart who was by then residing in Boston; this portrait is now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Additionally, their daughter Nancy Battelle attended Boston's finest school for girls, that of the celebrated Mrs. Susanna Rowson, and while there worked this fascinating silk embroidery. Several family notations that were written on the original paper backing of this piece indicate that it was worked by Nancy Battelle, later Nancy Smith, while she attended Mrs. Rowson's school.

Entitled, "Juvenile Diversions," this was likely an illustration of a novel or short story that was published in the period. It is a very appealing picture, solidly stitched with the needlework covering the entire surface, with the exception of the finely painted faces, hair and hands of the three boys. The enormous swan is depicted in minute detail, with his leg visible underwater. It retains its original eglomisé with the title appearing in gold leaf block letters, and its fine original gold leaf frame which would have been made in one of the many excellent frame shops of Boston. On October 26, 1804, Nancy married Michael Smith in Boston. Further research will likely reveal details of her life as an adult.

Materials and Techniques:
Glass
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1800
Condition:
Seller Location:
Philadelphia, PA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: U0912078583170

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Outsider and Self Taught Art

Materials

Ceramic

Mosaic Panel of the Bicentennial in New York Harbor, 1978

$7,200 Sale Price

68% Off