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Photo: Courtesy of Hirschl & Adler Galleries, Inc.
Detail
Photo: DuMouchelles Art Galleries, Detroit, MI
Frame
Photo: DuMouchelles Art Galleries, Detroit, MI
Inscription
Photo: DuMouchelles Art Galleries, Detroit, MI
Verso
Photo: DuMouchelles Art Galleries, Detroit, MI
⊠27.0 Literary/Historical
In addition to his scenes of everyday life and portraits of people, Johnson created images of historical events and figures from works of literature, drama, and music. For example, “Carry Me, and I’ll Drum You Through” was inspired by an incident from the Battle of Antietam, 1862, and Membership Vote at the Union League Club, May 11, 1876, recorded a contentious meeting in which he participated much later. His Marguerite, Cosette, and Minnehaha are personifications of fictional heroines from novels and poetry. His Boy Lincoln represents both the future United States president and the archetypical American youth who, with determination and hard work, could succeed. Johnson rendered several of these imaginative images as both paintings and drawings. These literary and historical works evince both his personal interest in those subjects and his awareness of their popularity with the broad public. —AM
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Hills no. 27.0.6r
Cosette
Alternate titles: Coselte [sic]; Portrait of an Unidentified Woman; Woman Wearing a Hood
c.1862
Oil on board
9 7/8 x 7 7/8 in. (25.1 x 20 cm)
Initialed lower left in red: E. J.
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Markings
Initialed verso, right center, in bold letters [possibly by Johnson]: E. J. [with sketch of girl leaning down]
Labels
Handwritten label on verso, upper right, likely in Johnson's hand: "Cosette"/Eastman Johnson [label appears to have been affixed over handwriting, which continues in script "N.Y." to the right of the label]
Exhibitions
Allston Club, Boston, First Exhibition, 1866. (Exhibition catalogue: Allston Club 1866), no. 24, [likely, as
Cosette], owner E. W. Hooper
.
Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts, New Acquisitions 1961, January 9–26, 1962.
Berkshire Arts Center, North Adams, Massachusetts, Romantic Art in America, May 1–June 7, 1963.
References
First Exhibition. Boston:
Printed by A. Mudge,
1866.
Exhibition catalogue (1866 Allston Club), no. 24 [likely, as Cosette], owner E. W. Hooper
.
Hills Examination / Opinion
Examination date(s): 2007-08-30
Examination notes: Sketch on back of girl leaning down. Board is puckered. Graphite lines in nostrils, along outside on right side. Lips tentative, but still graphite. Very smooth surface—enamel-like. Red ribbon—nice touch. Loose brushwork at nape of neck where scarf would tie. Nicely shadowed eyes. Severe expression. Initials may have been added later.
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Keywords
- Portrait pose:
- Subject matter:
Record last updated March 26, 2022. Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
Citation: Hills, Patricia, and Abigael MacGibeny. "Cosette, c.1862 (Hills no. 27.0.6r)." Eastman Johnson Catalogue Raisonné. www.eastmanjohnson.org/catalogue/entry.php?id=770 (accessed on March 29, 2024).