Catalogue Entry
The children and adolescents in these portraits have not yet been identified by name. However, the drawings are known or believed to have been done in the United States, after Johnson returned from Europe in late 1855, based on factors including their inscribed dates and the appearance of the sitters and style of the drawings when images are available. —AM
Hills opinion letter, 2017: I viewed this painting in New York at the Adelson Galleries on May 24, 2017. At the time I did not believe it to be by the hand of Eastman Johnson. The thick pastel was strange to me—not in keeping with his other works in pastel. This made for a less than lively appearance; such liveliness I have come to expect from the artist. I have never before seen this style in Johnson’s work. I was very puzzled by the work. So, I pursued further research and made arrangements to have it examined by a conservator (Margaret Holben Ellis, Chair: Eugene Thaw Professor of Paper Conservation, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University). We examined it together on August 8, 2017. She in turn showed the pastel to three other conservators, including two at a major New York museum. It was examined thoroughly using magnification, raking light, and ultraviolet radiation. It was noted that the signature and date appeared to be contemporaneous with the portrait and did not appear to have been disturbed in any way, nor was the pastel below or around the inscription disrupted. In other words, it is unlikely that the signature and 1887 date would have been placed there by anyone other than Eastman Johnson. The condition of the thick pastel is in keeping with the 19th-century date. At the time manufacturers made such supports for artists, covering the canvas with a pumice-containing wash. The pumice coating was applied in order to provide tooth for the pastel application and to minimize penetration of the fine pastel particles into the weave of the canvas. There is no texture of canvas visible in the pastel layer. There is no indication that the canvas was ever removed from the stretcher or re-stretched. No indication of previous restoration.
Slight lines outlining lips (which is a characteristic of EJ). Light and shadow on septum and on chin close to the lower lip does also seem characteristic of Johnson.
Dress as a lot of fluttery folds, but done nicely. Streaks of turquoise in the shadowed areas to give liveliness to the images.
The work feels as if done from a photograph. (At this point in his career he did not need to do portraits from photographs.) She seems lifeless.
Signature is very vertical, whereas Johnson usually slants his letters at top to the right. (He was right-handed.)
Support: It does seem as if the pastel is laid directly on to the fine canvas. Pastel goes to the edges. Mostly thick so the linen is less evident. Thin tack holes in corners and along the sides. Back has no labels. Stretcher bar and keys look not old.
- Portrait pose: