Portrait of an American Gentleman Prior-Hamblin School

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Portrait of an American Gentleman Prior-Hamblin School

About the Item

A staple in any folk art or Americana collection. This oil on canvas is unsigned but most likely the work of William Matthew Prior. The canvas is stamped on the reverse with a period Baltimore canvas maker. 27" x 34" canvas size and 29.5" x 36.5" including the period lemon gold frame. Prior-Hamblin School designates paintings that cannot be definitively attributed to any individual artist, but resemble the work of William Matthew Prior, Sturtevant Hamblin, and/or several other artists identified within this stylistic group, all active in the mid-nineteenth century. The Prior-Hamblin question is one of the most complex in folk art scholarship. The difficulty arises from the large number of unsigned portraits in this style, the close relationship between Prior and Hamblin (brothers-in-law and portrait painters), and the stylistic variation within Prior's own artistic production. In addition, folk painters in general frequently used similar conventional devices which caused their portraits to resemble one another, further complicating attribution questions. Another issue which should be addressed in this context is the possibility of artistic collaboration within the Prior-Hamblin school, especially between William Prior, Sturtevant Hamblin, and other members of the Hamblin family who were house, sign, and ornamental painters. While no documentation for this exists, there are paintings which cannot be attributed to an individual member of the group but appear to exhibit characteristics of several different artists. An excerpt from an 1828 book written by a French traveler in the United States documents the existence of painting workshops used by artists concerned with making portrait-painting a "lucrative profession." Because Prior would fit this description, the possibility of artistic collaboration or a Prior-Hamblin workshop should be considered, especially in view of the fact that William Prior lived for several years with members of the Hamblin family.

Attributed to:
William Matthew Prior (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 36.5 in (92.71 cm)Width: 29.5 in (74.93 cm)Length: 36.5 in (92.71 cm)
Style:
Folk Art (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paint
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1840-1849
Date of Manufacture:
1840
Condition:
Repaired: It is difficult to tell, but it does appear that there could have been a repair near the top of the forehead of the sitter. It is not evident on the painting, but only on the back of the canvas, as evident in the image. Wear consistent with age and use. The listed dimensions include the period frame.
Seller Location:
Wiscasset, ME
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1017619901102