GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Once thought to be a portrait of Anthony Rutgers by Pieter Vanderlyn, this painting has recently been firmly reattributed to Gerardus Duyckinck. Based on stylistic analysis, baptismal records, genealogical research, and common sense, the sitter has been re-identified as Anthony's son, Petrus. The portrait shows Petrus Rutgers in an authoritative yet comfortable pose, with one glove casually grasped in his left hand. A hazy landscape can be seen through an opening to his right. The composition is based on that of British mezzotints, a practice shared by numerous colonial painters, from the Duyckincks all the way to John Singleton Copley, often with full cooperation from the sitters.
Adapted from
William Keyse Rudolph, Label text, 2008
NOTES
Possibly lines 4-6 of provenance, but could not confirm.
n.d.: her son, John Morin Scott McKnight (1784-1848)
n.d.: his son, Charles Scott McKnight (1827-1895)
n.d.: his daughter, Mary Beekman Bailey (McKnight) (1852-1898)
The portrait in question was re-identified as Petrus Rutgers, the elder brother of Anthony II Rutgers and oldest son of Anthony Rutgers by Roderic Blackburn in 1993, using both the provenance (it descended unbroken in the family of Petrus' daughter Helena until its acquisition by Hirschl & Adler in the early 1990s) H&A Galleries Inc. New York
c. 1722 (Roderic H. Blackburn notes in correspondence with Meredith Ward Hirschl and Adler Galleries, Inc. 7/4/1993 that "it probably dates from 1722, but could fall within the range of 1721-28.")
"New research re-identifies the painter of this rare work and the sitter.
Once thought to be a portrait of Anthony Rutgers by Pieter Vanderlyn, this painting has recently been firmly reattributed to Gerardus Duyckinck. Based on stylistic analysis, baptismal records, genealogical research, and common sense, the sitter has been re-identified as Anthony's son, Petrus. The portrait shows Petrus Rutgers in an authoritative yet comfortable pose, with one glove casually grasped in his left hand. A hazy landscape can be seen through an opening to his right. The composition is based on that of British mezzotints, a practice shared by numerous colonial painters, from the Duyckincks all the way to John Singleton Copley, often with full cooperation from the sitters.
The Duyckincks were a family of painters and artisans working in New York across four generations. By 1731, at age thirty-six, Gerardus Duyckinck was listed as a freeman of the City of New York (meaning he had finally completed his apprenticeship). In 1735 he advertised in the New-York Weekly Journal:
"Lookin-glasses new Silvered, and the Frames plaine Japan'd or Flowered, also all sorts of Picktures, made and Sold, all manner of painting Work done. Likewise Lookinglasses, and all sorts of painting Coullers and Oyl sold at reasonable Rates, by Gerardus Duyckinck at the Sign of the two Cupids, near the Old Slip Market. N.B.Where you may have ready Money for old Lookinglasses"
The advertisement testifies to the multitasking required of working artists in the 18th century, who could not depend upon portraiture alone....
The portrait in question was re-identified as Petrus Rutgers, the elder brother of Anthony II Rutgers and oldest son of Anthony Rutgers by Roderic Blackburn in 1993, using both the provenance (it descended unbroken in the family of Petrus' daughter Helena until its acquisition by Hirschl & Adler in the early 1990s), as well as by common sense. Both Anthonys would have been markedly too old or too young when the portrait was likely made to be its subject. Petrus Rutgers married in 1722, providing a likely circumstance for the commission of this work. (Blackburn 1993, 8-9)
Blackburn further attributed the painting to Duyckinck based upon stylistic comparison with the portrait of Elsie Rutgers Schuyler Vas (1723, Albany Institute of History and Art), convincingly linked to Duyckinck by Mary Black (Black 1987, 124)."
William Keyse Rudolph,The Pauline Gill Sullivan Associate Curator of American Art, Acquisition Proposal/Label text, February 2008
"Petrus married in December 1722, a likely date for the portrait as it was common practice then for a new husband and wife to give graphically permanent and public testament to a new social bond that would effect their descendants forever. His father (Anthony 1675-1746) was much too old, and the latter's son (Anthony 1711-before 1746) much too young to be the subject." p. 6 Report prepared by Roderic H. Blackburn 7/4/1993
Referring to the portraiture of Duyckinck, "All of the stiffly posed, relatively plain, but dignified-looking figures are based upon fashionable prototypes readily found in the flourishing English mezzotint print trade." David Bjelajac, American Art: A Cultural History Second Edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., 2005, p. 80
Original frame. "The painting retains its original carved and gilded frame made of spruce (picea sp.) of a type frequently encountered on New York City and Hudson Valley portraits from the early eighteenth century." p.34 Likenesses & Landskips: A Portrait of the Eighteenth Century Essay by Arlene Katz Nichols December 12, 2002-February 8, 2003 Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Duyckinck, Gerardus (American, 1695-1746)
Cultures
Geography
Depicted location and place of origin: United States (nation): TGN: 7012149
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From c. 1722: Petrus Rutgers (1701-1745)
n.d.: his daughter, Helena Rutgers (1730-1798), later Mrs. John Morin Scott, by inheritance
n.d.: her daughter, Mary Morin Litchfield Scott (1753-1796), later Mrs. Charles McKnight
By 1940: her great- great- grandson, Dr. Theodorus Bailey (1874-1947), New York
1940-1991: his daughter, Rosalie Fellows Bailey (1908-1991), New York
1991-1992: her estate
1992-1993: private collection, purchase from above
By 1993: Hirschl & Adler, New York,
From 2008: Dallas Museum of Art, the Patsy Lacy Griffith Collection, gift of Patsy Lacy Griffith by exchange [1]
The primary source for this provenance is information previously entered in TMS.
[1] While there is no record of where Patsy Lacy Griffith purchased the painting, the date she acquired it indicates she may have purchased it from Hirsch & Adler.
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- Many working artists in 18th century America could not depend on portraiture alone for their income. In 1735 Gerardus Duyckinck advertised in the New-York Weekly Journal: "Lookin-glasses new Silvered, and the Frames plaine Japan'd or Flowered, also all sorts of Picktures, made and Sold, all manner of painting Work done. Likewise Lookinglasses, and all sorts of painting Coullers and Oyl sold at reasonable Rates, by Gerardus Duyckinck at the Sign of the two Cupids, near the Old Slip Market. N.B.Where you may have ready Money for old Lookinglasses."
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General Description
Once thought to be a portrait of Anthony Rutgers by Pieter Vanderlyn, this painting has recently been firmly reattributed to Gerardus Duyckinck. Based on stylistic analysis, baptismal records, genealogical research, and common sense, the sitter has been re-identified as Anthony's son, Petrus. The portrait shows Petrus Rutgers in an authoritative yet comfortable pose, with one glove casually grasped in his left hand. A hazy landscape can be seen through an opening to his right. The composition is based on that of British mezzotints, a practice shared by numerous colonial painters, from the Duyckincks all the way to John Singleton Copley, often with full cooperation from the sitters.
Adapted from
William Keyse Rudolph, Label text, 2008
Fun Facts
- Many working artists in 18th century America could not depend on portraiture alone for their income. In 1735 Gerardus Duyckinck advertised in the New-York Weekly Journal: "Lookin-glasses new Silvered, and the Frames plaine Japan'd or Flowered, also all sorts of Picktures, made and Sold, all manner of painting Work done. Likewise Lookinglasses, and all sorts of painting Coullers and Oyl sold at reasonable Rates, by Gerardus Duyckinck at the Sign of the two Cupids, near the Old Slip Market. N.B.Where you may have ready Money for old Lookinglasses."
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Web Resources
Notes
Possibly lines 4-6 of provenance, but could not confirm.
n.d.: her son, John Morin Scott McKnight (1784-1848)
n.d.: his son, Charles Scott McKnight (1827-1895)
n.d.: his daughter, Mary Beekman Bailey (McKnight) (1852-1898)
The portrait in question was re-identified as Petrus Rutgers, the elder brother of Anthony II Rutgers and oldest son of Anthony Rutgers by Roderic Blackburn in 1993, using both the provenance (it descended unbroken in the family of Petrus' daughter Helena until its acquisition by Hirschl & Adler in the early 1990s) H&A Galleries Inc. New York
c. 1722 (Roderic H. Blackburn notes in correspondence with Meredith Ward Hirschl and Adler Galleries, Inc. 7/4/1993 that "it probably dates from 1722, but could fall within the range of 1721-28.")
"New research re-identifies the painter of this rare work and the sitter.
Once thought to be a portrait of Anthony Rutgers by Pieter Vanderlyn, this painting has recently been firmly reattributed to Gerardus Duyckinck. Based on stylistic analysis, baptismal records, genealogical research, and common sense, the sitter has been re-identified as Anthony's son, Petrus. The portrait shows Petrus Rutgers in an authoritative yet comfortable pose, with one glove casually grasped in his left hand. A hazy landscape can be seen through an opening to his right. The composition is based on that of British mezzotints, a practice shared by numerous colonial painters, from the Duyckincks all the way to John Singleton Copley, often with full cooperation from the sitters.
The Duyckincks were a family of painters and artisans working in New York across four generations. By 1731, at age thirty-six, Gerardus Duyckinck was listed as a freeman of the City of New York (meaning he had finally completed his apprenticeship). In 1735 he advertised in the New-York Weekly Journal:
"Lookin-glasses new Silvered, and the Frames plaine Japan'd or Flowered, also all sorts of Picktures, made and Sold, all manner of painting Work done. Likewise Lookinglasses, and all sorts of painting Coullers and Oyl sold at reasonable Rates, by Gerardus Duyckinck at the Sign of the two Cupids, near the Old Slip Market. N.B.Where you may have ready Money for old Lookinglasses"
The advertisement testifies to the multitasking required of working artists in the 18th century, who could not depend upon portraiture alone....
The portrait in question was re-identified as Petrus Rutgers, the elder brother of Anthony II Rutgers and oldest son of Anthony Rutgers by Roderic Blackburn in 1993, using both the provenance (it descended unbroken in the family of Petrus' daughter Helena until its acquisition by Hirschl & Adler in the early 1990s), as well as by common sense. Both Anthonys would have been markedly too old or too young when the portrait was likely made to be its subject. Petrus Rutgers married in 1722, providing a likely circumstance for the commission of this work. (Blackburn 1993, 8-9)
Blackburn further attributed the painting to Duyckinck based upon stylistic comparison with the portrait of Elsie Rutgers Schuyler Vas (1723, Albany Institute of History and Art), convincingly linked to Duyckinck by Mary Black (Black 1987, 124)."
William Keyse Rudolph,The Pauline Gill Sullivan Associate Curator of American Art, Acquisition Proposal/Label text, February 2008
"Petrus married in December 1722, a likely date for the portrait as it was common practice then for a new husband and wife to give graphically permanent and public testament to a new social bond that would effect their descendants forever. His father (Anthony 1675-1746) was much too old, and the latter's son (Anthony 1711-before 1746) much too young to be the subject." p. 6 Report prepared by Roderic H. Blackburn 7/4/1993
Referring to the portraiture of Duyckinck, "All of the stiffly posed, relatively plain, but dignified-looking figures are based upon fashionable prototypes readily found in the flourishing English mezzotint print trade." David Bjelajac, American Art: A Cultural History Second Edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., 2005, p. 80
Original frame. "The painting retains its original carved and gilded frame made of spruce (picea sp.) of a type frequently encountered on New York City and Hudson Valley portraits from the early eighteenth century." p.34 Likenesses & Landskips: A Portrait of the Eighteenth Century Essay by Arlene Katz Nichols December 12, 2002-February 8, 2003 Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Duyckinck, Gerardus (American, 1695-1746)
Cultures
Geography
Depicted location and place of origin: United States (nation): TGN: 7012149
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From c. 1722: Petrus Rutgers (1701-1745)
n.d.: his daughter, Helena Rutgers (1730-1798), later Mrs. John Morin Scott, by inheritance
n.d.: her daughter, Mary Morin Litchfield Scott (1753-1796), later Mrs. Charles McKnight
By 1940: her great- great- grandson, Dr. Theodorus Bailey (1874-1947), New York
1940-1991: his daughter, Rosalie Fellows Bailey (1908-1991), New York
1991-1992: her estate
1992-1993: private collection, purchase from above
By 1993: Hirschl & Adler, New York,
From 2008: Dallas Museum of Art, the Patsy Lacy Griffith Collection, gift of Patsy Lacy Griffith by exchange [1]
The primary source for this provenance is information previously entered in TMS.
[1] While there is no record of where Patsy Lacy Griffith purchased the painting, the date she acquired it indicates she may have purchased it from Hirsch & Adler.
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