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Portrait 2018-263
Portrait of John Nivison (1760-1820)
Portrait 2018-263

Portrait of John Nivison (1760-1820)

Date1811-1812
Attributed to Cephas Thompson (1775-1856)
OriginAmerica, Virginia, Norfolk
MediumOil on canvas
DimensionsOH: 27 inches OW: 22 1/8 inches
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number2018-263,A&B
DescriptionPortrait of a man in a black coat with white stock. He is seated in a chair with his right arm resting on the arm of the chair.
Label TextJohn Nivison was born in Bruswick County, Virginia in 1760 to Reverand William Nivison and his wife, Anne Tazewell. In 1781 he married Sarah Stratton, the daughter of John Stratton and Gertrude Tazewell, in Northampton County, Virginia. By the birth of their first child in 1784 the Nivisons were living in the city of Norfolk, Virginia where John made a career as a lawyer and politician.

The couple sat for Cephas Thompson during his southern trip in 1811-1812 and may have commissioned more than one of each portrait. This pair of portraits and at least one period copy of John's portrait survive which may have been completed so that they would have muliple copies to give to family members. Thomspon's Memorandum of Portraits records several of his Norfolk sitters requesting to have mulitple copies made of their portraits. All three known portraits of the Nivisons descended through the family until recently.
ProvenanceBoth portraits of John and Sarah Stratton Nivison are believed to have descended to their daughter Anne Stratton Nivison (m. Littleton Waller Tazewell) to her daughter Mary Tazewell (m. Matthew Page Waller) to her son Corbin Griffin Waller (m. Fanny Marshall Byrd) to his daughter Ann Byrd Waller (m. Thomas Merrill Whittemore) to her son Thomas Marshall Whittemore (m. Jane Whitemore Whittemore - CWF's source)