Items Similar to Early 19th Century Portrait of the Marsh Family Twins, by Arrowsmith, circa 1830
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9
Early 19th Century Portrait of the Marsh Family Twins, by Arrowsmith, circa 1830
$22,000
£16,588.10
€19,115.47
CA$30,519.95
A$34,197.44
CHF 17,801.07
MX$418,353.05
NOK 225,951.61
SEK 213,408.60
DKK 142,700.90
Shipping
Retrieving quote...The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation
About the Item
Early 19th Century Portrait of the Marsh Family Twins, by Thomas Arrowsmith (English: 1772 - 1834), circa 1830, an oil on canvas group portrait of the celebrated five children of the Marsh family of Boston. The two pair of twin girls and their younger brother became well known on both sides of the Atlantic in their day, because sets of twins were pretty rare, and these children were so ridiculously cute. Apparently the greatest artists of their day were all clamoring to paint their portraits. The Magazine Antiques ran an article on the children and their popularity about 20 years ago.
The short hair cuts sported by the girls are quite striking, and are actually not as odd and rare as many people assume. While longer hair enhanced with ringlets and other curls were very much the popular fashion, a good number of parents did boldly break away with these daring short bobs. Perhaps they were the "bohemians" of their day. The style grew in popularity, even among adults, following the French Revolution: dubbed "Guillotine Haircuts" they declared sympathy for the deposed royals.
In this particular instance, I believe the short hair was chosen because it focused more attention on the beautiful faces, and lessened the variations in height and hair color to make them all look even more alike.
A delightful painting, slightly Romantic School, a touch Folk Art, in excellent condition and signed on the reverse. Thomas Arrowsmith was a highly regarded artist who worked almost entirely in miniature. Such artists who created such amazingly detailed tiny portraits on ivory rarely ventured into a the larger paintings on canvas, although Arrowsmith was known to occasionally but rarely do so. We are lucky he did: this is an arresting, beautiful work... a showstopper.
Mounted under glass in a contemporary carved, rouged and gilded gallery frame.
Measures: 29-3/4 in H x 23-3/4 in W.
- Dimensions:Height: 29.75 in (75.57 cm)Width: 23.75 in (60.33 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
- Style:Empire (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1830
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Nantucket, MA
- Reference Number:Seller: AD - FDA -11stDibs: LU903934348962
About the Seller
5.0
Gold Seller
Premium sellers maintaining a 4.3+ rating and 24-hour response times
1stDibs seller since 2010
270 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Nantucket, MA
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View All19th Century China Trade Pair of Portraits of Sea Captain and Wife
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century China Trade Pair of Portraits of Sea Captain and Wife, circa 1850s, matched pair of Chinese Export oil on canvas full length portraits of a Sea Captain and his wife, painted on commission in Hong Kong or a related China Trade port. The captain wears a double breasted wool greatcoat over a high collar white shirt with bow tie, black waistcoat...
Category
Antique 1850s Hong Kong Victorian Paintings
Materials
Canvas
19th Century Pair of China Trade Portraits of an American Sailor and Wife
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th Century Pair of China Trade Portraits of an American Sailor and His Wife, circa 1890s, two oil on canvas half length portraits of a young American Navy seaman (identified by his...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Paintings
Materials
Canvas
18th Century Dutch Genre Painting with Mother and Children
Located in Nantucket, MA
18th Century Dutch genre painting with grandparents seated side by side, an oil on wooden panel miniature interior scene with elderly man and wom...
Category
Antique 18th Century Dutch Romantic Paintings
Materials
Wood
Reverse Painting on Glass of George and Martha Washington by W. M. Prior
By William Matthew Prior
Located in Nantucket, MA
19th century reverse painted on glass portrait of George and Martha Washington by William Matthew Prior (1806 - 1873), one of New England'...
Category
Antique 1830s American Federal Paintings
Materials
Glass
$2,000 Sale Price
20% Off
Late 18th Century English Genre Painting Attributed to George Morland
By George Morland
Located in Nantucket, MA
Late 18th Century English Genre Painting Attributed to George Morland (1763 - 1804), circa 1790, an oil on canvas British genre painting depicting country folk outside a tavern, unsi...
Category
Antique Late 18th Century English George III Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Early 19th Century Belgian Genre Painting of a Wedding
Located in Nantucket, MA
Early 19th century Northern European Genre Painting of a Wedding, unsigned, late 18th or early 19th century, an oil on canvas finely detailed view of many celebratory figures in an i...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Belgian Rococo Paintings
Materials
Canvas
You May Also Like
Group Portrait of Two Children by James Bennett H. Smith (British, fl. 1830–1847
Located in Worcester, GB
Group Portrait of Two Children by James Bennett H. Smith (British, fl. 1830–1847)
Early 19th Century Oil on Canvas Signed ‘Bell Smith’
A charming and well-executed early 19th cent...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century British Paintings
Materials
Paint
A Large American Family Portrait "The Brookins Family" 1838
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A Large oil on canvas painting of "The Brookins Family" American circa 1838. Acquired from the collection of Peter Tillou, exhibited at the William Benton Museum, Storrs, Connecticut...
Category
Antique 1830s American American Colonial Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Giltwood, Paint
Oil Painting On Canvas With Motif of Two Children From 1860s
Located in Lejre, DK
Oil painting on canvas with a motif of two children from around the 1860s
Dimensions in cm: H:72 W:84
This product will be inspected thoroughly at our professional workshop by ou...
Category
Antique 1860s Danish Other Paintings
Materials
Canvas
A Biedermeier Portrait Of Children by Robert Schwedler, 1845
Located in Savannah, GA
Robert Schwedler
(German, 1816-1887)
A Biedermeier portrait of a brother and sister, signed and dated 1845
canvas: 13 by 15 ½ inches
frame: 17 by 20 inches
Category
Antique 1840s Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Giltwood
Early 19th Century Oil Painting French Family Portrait
Located in 263-0031, JP
The term “Biedermeier” was first wielded as mildly disparaging designation for the bourgeois domesticity, so idealized by German society in the post-Napoleonic era prior to the 1848 ...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Biedermeier Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Portrait, Children of the 11th Earl of Devon, Follower of Adam Buck, circa 1840
Located in Kinderhook, NY
A wonderful circa 1840 charcoal, gouache, and watercolor portrait group of William Reginald Courtenay (28 Oct 1832 – 21 Nov 1853), Edward Baldwin Courtenay, 12th Earl of Devon (7 May...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Drawings
Materials
Oak, Paint, Paper
