Portrait of Captain Elias Edmonds (1768-1811)

Date1808

Artist William Joseph Aldridge (1751 - after 1813)

OriginAmerica, Virginia, Fauquier County

MediumPastel on laid paper

DimensionsOther (See Remarks): 23 7/16 x 18 7/8in. (59.5 x 48cm) Other (Pre-conservtion, unflattened primary support): 22 13/16 x 17 5/16in. (58 x 44cm) Framed: 26 1/8 x 20 5/8in.

Credit LinePurchased in part with funds contributed by friends of Colleen Cowles Heslip (1951-1992) and donated in her memory

Object number1991.200.1

DescriptionA bust-length portrait of a man facing slightly towards the viewer's left, his head turned a bit toward the viewer. He has curly dark brown hair and blue eyes, wears a red waistcoat, dark blue coat, and white ruffled shirt with a white neck cloth.

The frame currently (11-14-2012) on the portrait is a modern reproduction one made for it in 1994; it is a 2-inch gilded, flat frame with a quarter round outer edge, acc. no. 1991.200.1,C.

The above frame (1991.200.1,C) replaced frame 1991.200.1,B, which was received on the portrait and removed for the sake of the pastel's preservation; frame 1991.200.1,B is a modern replacement, 2 3/4-inch cove molded frame with applied decoration; it is now stored on the Palace 3rd floor along with the incoming glass, which was also modern. As of 11-16-2012, the inscribed backboard for the portrait is stored with frame 1991.200.1,B on the Palace 3rd floor ---- but is scheduled to be reapplied to the back of the portrait.
Label TextThe rakish tilt of the subject's collar, far lapel, and stock tip give the portrait a delightful sense of liveliness, and his bright red waistcoat contrasts brilliantly with his dark hair and dark blue coat. William Joseph Aldridge's masterful modeling techniques clearly capture the subject's massive head; broad, muscled shoulders; and powerful physique while equally deftly depicting the subtlety and intricacy of soft folds of cloth.

Probably Captain Elias Edmonds was serving in the Fauquier County militia when the War of 1812 was declared, but he died before seeing active duty. His father, Col. William Edmonds (1734-1816), was a veteran of both the French and Indian War and the Revolution; his mother was Elizabeth Blackwell Edmonds (1741-1817), and Elias was the fourth of the couple's eleven children. After the death of his first wife, Captain Edmonds married Sarah Battaile Fitzhugh (1785-1878) on August 24, 1807; the couple had two daughters and lived at "Mt. Airy" in Fauquier County. According to the inscriptions on the backboards of their likenesses, Aldridge executed their companion portraits there in February of 1808,

Aldridge also depicted Elias's parents. His mother's pastel remains unlocated, and his father's was destroyed in a fire, but sensitively executed studies for both of them survive. See acc. no. 2007.200.1.
InscribedInscribed in ink in script on the yellow pine backboard is "Capt Elias Edmonds Mt Airy/This likeness was taken by Mr Oldrige (sic) in/ Febuary (sic) 1808".

N. B. It was intended that the backboard be reinstalled (incorporated into the picture's overall framing package), but as of 11-14-2012, this has not been done and the backboard remains, stored, on the 3rd floor of the Palace.
ProvenanceThe portrait descended in the subject's family, although the exact line of descent has not been verified. A plausible line of descent appears to have been:

From the subject to his daughter, Elizabeth Elias Edmonds Parrott (Mrs. John H[enry?] Parrott)(1811-?); to her son, John Henry Parrott (1847-1930); to his daughter, Josephine Edmonds Parrott Whittle (Mrs. Randolph Gordon Whittle)(1905-1991) of Roanoke, Va.; to her three children, John P. Whittle, Randolph Gordon Whittle, Jr., and Josephine W. Thornton; to AARFAM.