a lovely portrait, claimed to be by Jane Stuart

In December 'Mark' sent me this portrait of his relative, he says it is by Jane Stuart.

(I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the attribution.)

I wrote Mark a couple of months ago, after he left a comment on the blog. "I just noticed your comment on my gilbert stuart blog. You have a portrait (somber) by Jane Stuart? How do you know it is by Jane Stuart (is it signed)? Can you send me a pic, and the story of the painting?"

He wrote back:

Beth,

I took a some pics of the painting, from my iphone, as some thief stole my digital camera last fall :(. It's not hanging now and needs some plaster fixed on frame (as you can see in pic). As I look at the picture and read my comment from your blog, I don't think she looks as somber now as I once thought before. Ms. Stuart was definitely a master painter. The person in the portrait would be my great-great grandmother (Jane Adams), i believe.
Kind regards, Mark

Jane was the youngest of 12 children born to Gilbert Stuart and his wife, Charlotte and was one of her father’s most trusted studio assistants, often mixing paints for him as a child and later helping to finish his paintings. She maintained her own studio in Boston for several years before moving back to Newport in 1858, and continued to paint and entertain up until her death in 1888.

Jane Stuart, daughter of Gilbert Stuart; an artist in her own right &...an 'irritable temperament'...

Mrs. William Bailey, by Jane Stuart

courtesy Redwood Library and Athenaeum

The Stark Mansion: "Flowers, books, old-fashioned furniture, and pictures of the choicest are everywhere. A fine portrait of General John Stark, painted in 1830 by S. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph, is hung on the wall at the right. Facing the door another beautiful portrait is seen. This is of Miss Charlotte Stark and was done by Jane Stuart, the daughter of Gilbert Stuart." (The third picture is of Daniel Webster, who had his miniature done by Goodridge as you, my readers, might remember!) Historic Homes of New England, Mary Northend; Little, Brown, & Co., Boston, 1914.


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As a young girl Jane would go to her father's studio to help him with chores including the grinding of pigments. She would listen to her father instructing his students, and in time she started copying some of his paintings. In 1827 she had one of her paintings exhibited at the Boston Athenaeum. She was 15. When her father died the next year, deeply in debt and leaving an estate valued at only $375, Jane became financially responsible for the family and began selling copies of her father's paintings, particularly portraits of Washington.

The Redwood Library (Redwood Library and Athenaeum, 50 Bellevue Ave., Newport RI) has organized what may be the first exhibit of Jane Stuart’s paintings since her death 1888. It ends soon!

Newport's Own: Portraits by Jane Stuart

"A collaborative exhibition of the work of artist Jane Stuart (1808 - 1888) by the Redwood, Newport Historical Society, Preservation Society of Newport County, with additional paintings on loan from the Newport Art Museum, the Boston Athenaeum, the Museum of Art RISD, Peabody Essex Museum, and the State of Rhode Island. Guest curated by Linda Eppich, Archivist / Grant Writer at The Preservation Society of Newport County. Covering the period of the 1840s to the late 1870s, the exhibition includes 16 original portraits and copy work by Jane Stuart, plus biographical information about the sitters. The 12th child of Gilbert and Charlotte Stuart, she was a leading portrait painter in Newport. Although she never received any formal training, she was a key assistant to and regarded as the best copyist of Gilbert Stuart. Jane Stuart exhibited at the Boston Athenaeum as early as 1827, and had an exhibition at the American Academy of Fine Arts in New York in 1833. We are unaware of any exhibition devoted to Jane Stuart since her death in 1888, and this exhibition is an attempt to bring greater recognition to this 19th century artist."

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From Curator Linda Eppich: "In addition to her painting, Jane was also the keeper of her father’s flame. In fact, much of what we know about Gilbert Stuart comes from a series of reminiscences written by Jane and published in Scribner’s Monthly magazine. In one such article, titled “Anecdotes of Gilbert Stuart,” Jane concedes that her father had an “irritable temperament,” but justifies it by pointing to the constant flow of visitors that passed through his studio. “While he was engaged with his whole soul in portraying the character of some remarkable person, his door would be besieged by persons who must see him, and, frequently, for the most trifling purpose,” she recalled. “At times he would be so disturbed as not to feel like going into his painting-room again for the whole day.”

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I'm sure we can ....all ...relate!

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"...he began to awaken it into life..." ~ How many sittings did Stuart normally require to complete a portrait?

Jane Stuart, daughter of Gilbert, as quoted by George Mason:

"As Stuart was quick to read the character of a sitter, so had he a clear insight into the color of his complexion, and never was he known to fail in this particular...He commenced a portrait by drawing the head and features, and then he sketched in the general tone of the complexion; for this he seldom required more than four or five sittings, and frequently it was done in three sittings. The picture was never touched except when the sitter was in the chair. At the second sitting he introduced transparent flesh-tints, at the third he began to awaken it into life and give it expression, and then the individuality of the sitter came out. This was always done quickly."

Jane was a talented artist herself, it could be presumed she assisted her father in finishing more than a few paintings. Having assistants finish the paintings was not at all unusual. Below is an example of one which is known to have been finished by Jane.

from Lawrence Park:
Oliver H. Perry was a son of Christoper Raymond Perry of South Kensington, RI, by his wife Sarah Wallace Alexander. He became a midshipman in 1799; lieutenant in 1807, after serving in the Tripolitan War; and master-commander in 1812. In 1813 he was ordered to Lake Ontario, and while in command of the squadron on Lake Erie, he attacked the British fleet and gained a complete victory. For this service he was promoted to captain and received a medal and the thanks of Congress. In 1815 he commanded the 'Java' in Commodore Decatur's sqadron in the Mediterranean. In 1819 he sailed for the West Indies, where he died of yellow fever.

In 1818 the Rhode Island legislature commissioned Gilbert Stuart to paint a full-length portrait of naval officer. Perry sat for this portrait just before leaving for the West Indies. The full length portrait was never finished (who knows what minor altercation/irritation prevented its completion), Gilbert only completed the face, the rest was finished by 16-year-old Jane after his death.

Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1758-1819) by Gilbert Stuart 1818 and completed by Jane Stuart;

Toledo Museum of Art