Recently while looking through my reference books for inspiration. I revisited some pages that I had bookmarked in hopes of painting them someday. The artist/artists I found was William Matthew Prior.....and his brother-in-law Sturtevant Hamblin. Their flat, distinct, recognizable style, has been a clue for some unsigned
portraits painted in the mid-nineteenth century.William Prior lived from 1806-1873. He traveled New England painting portraits and landscapes, and settled in Boston in 1845. He lived with his brother-in-law and his family, the Hamblins. Sturtevant Hamblin was also a portrait painter. And during this time, many unsigned portraits were painted with the flat, signature style
attributed to William Prior's work.There is no documentation to know for sure, but these unsigned paintings are thought to have been the result of a school of painting/ or workshops given by Prior-Hamblin. Portrait artist living in the area at the time might have taken some instruction from these painters. Perhaps they were the "Bob Ross" of their era? :)
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My sons and I are visiting a rock museum today....not sure I'm really excited about it, but it fits in with the Earth Science curriculum we are studying. So, maybe I'll have photos of rocks to share on Monday! (just kidding!)~Have a wonderful weekend~
References:"American Naive Paintings" by Deborah Chotner © 1992
"American Folk Art Postcard Book" published by Running Press ©1986
4 comments:
Good morning Suzanne! Have fun at the rock museum ~ my mom was a collector of rocks... really!
Thanks for another art history lesson ~ that little boy in blue is sweet.
Thanks for the introduction to another wonderful painter!
A rock museum sounds like fun - we went to a rock quarry once when we did Earth Science.
Manuela
Suzanne, I enjoy your painter history it is always informative.
Rocks are good too, they are the foundation on which the soil, plants, trees, animals and us live.Enjoy your weekend. Susan
Fascinating info as usual Suzanne. Does sound like they could be the "Bob Ross" of their day. I tell you, I've met some people who have very mixed feelings about Bob Ross, but I have to say, he has helped me immensely with painting trees (something I really struggle with) so thank you Bob Ross for your help there. I do hate to hear of unsigned paintings , although, I know a lot of times, people didn't sign things...just wish they did so today, a hundred years later, we could know for sure who painted what we're looking at.
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