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THBIMPORTANT HENRY BENBRIDGE (AMERICAN, 1743-1812), ATTRIBUTED, PORTRAIT OF HARRIET SMITH (CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, B.1770)
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About Auction
LiveJun 22, 2024
Jeffrey S. Evans & Assoc., Inc. info@jeffreysevans.com
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- Lot Description
IMPORTANT HENRY BENBRIDGE (AMERICAN, 1743-1812), ATTRIBUTED, PORTRAIT OF HARRIET SMITH (CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, B.1770), oil on canvas, an outstanding example, the full-length depiction of a seated child in profile, her face turned toward the viewer, wearing a white and golden yellow silk wrap draped off of one shoulder, a dark blue bird perched on her outstretched left hand, no signature located, retaining likely original frame (mahogany and cypress / pine), probably made in the shop of Thomas Elfe (1719-1775), Charleston's leading cabinetmaker at the time. Circa 1772. 29 1/4" x 24" sight, 36 1/4" x 31" OA.
Literature: See Weekley - Painters and Paintings in the Early American South, p. 387, fig. 7.57, for the Benbridge-attributed portrait (c.1775) of Mrs. Charlotte Pepper Gignilliat (currently in the collection of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 1973-217,B), which includes a highly similar treatment of the sitter's yellow silk dress and also retains its, nearly identical, original mahogany frame.
Catalogue Note: Born in Philadelphia, Henry Benbridge (1743-1812) studied as a young man in Italy and received guidance from Benjamin West (1738-1820) while visiting in London. In 1770, Benbridge returned to Philadelphia, bearing letters of recommendation from the American expatriate artist, and quickly set about establishing himself as a top-tier portrait painter. By 1772, Benbridge ventured to Charleston, South Carolina in search of a warmer climate and less professional competition. His timing was fortuitous, given the physical decline of fellow Charleston artist, Jeremiah Theus (d.1774), and Benbridge rapidly became the region's leading portraitist for the wealthy planter and merchant elite. In 1780, with the British occupation of Charleston, Benbridge, along with hundreds of other citizens, was imprisoned aboard a British ship and later held in St. Augustine for nearly two years. At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, Benbridge returned to Charleston, where he resumed his work as an artist. By 1800, he had moved, along with his son, to Norfolk, Virginia, where it is likely that he encountered Lawrence and Thomas Sully, two young and promising portrait painters. Benbridge remained in Norfolk until his death in 1812.
The present portrait, a rare Colonial Southern likeness of a child, has descended directly in the family and is completely fresh to the market. An early and highly developed example of the artist's work, the portrait remains in very fine condition and retains its likely original Charleston-made frame. The sitter, Harriet Smith (b.1770), was the granddaughter of Landgrave Thomas Smith II (1670-1738), an extremely wealthy and influential Lowcountry landowner, who served for several terms in the South Carolina Colonial Assembly. Harriet's father was likely Thomas Smith (1729-1783), who was one of ten children from Landgrave Smith's second marriage.
The appearance of the present portrait on the open market, completely fresh and unrecorded, represents an exceedingly rare opportunity to acquire an outstanding example of pre-Revolutionary Southern portraiture by a highly desirable hand.Condition
Very fine overall visual condition. Lined with very minor inpainting to figure, costume, and background. Frame with minor cracks and other wear, modern gold liner.
- Provenance
Descended directly in the family of the sitter.
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