Portrait of Van Buren Da Lee (1837-1905)

Date1841

Attributed to Richard William Minton Da Lee (1809 - 1868)

OriginAmerica, New York, Portland (probably)

MediumWatercolor, ink, and graphite on wove paper

DimensionsPrimary support: 4 7/16 x 2 15/16in. and Framed: 12 1/8 x 10 7/16 x 15/16in.

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1985.300.1

DescriptionA full-length portrait of a small boy, standing and facing to the left in profile. His far (proper right) arm is bent at the elbow and in that hand, he extends a whip. His near (proper left) arm hangs by his side, and in that hand, he holds a cap. He wears dark blue-green trousers beneath a knee-length dress of the same color. The dress has a white collar; above the center waist, the bodice forms a "V" and is flanked by a row of buttons. The child's medium-dark hair is cut close to his head, but a longish lock falls in front of his near ear. The child's eyes and lips are painted, but the rest of the face, head, and, and the hands are drawn in pencil. The ground is a vaguely defined green, the background undefined. An inscription appears at the top.
Label TextFour-year-old Van Buren Da Lee was named for President Martin Van Buren and was the son of the artist. The boy's full, pouchy cheeks; the opposing "S" curve of the lock of hair in front of his ear; his tiny hands and feet; and his deep-set eyes are all features noted in other examples of Da Lee's work.
InscribedHand-lettered in slightly embellished block letters in ink at the top of the primary support, above the subject, is: "Van Buren Da Lee Aged yrs. 4" (a calligraphic squiggle follows the digit).

On the reverse in graphite is: "24".

A modern, typed paper label removed from the back of the frame (and stored in the object file) reads: "Miniature from the Bouregard Family, a des-/cendant of the Da Lee and Minten families of/New Orleans (1810)". Following this inscription, in pencil, someone has written "1835".
MarkingsSee "Inscriptions."
ProvenanceSee email from Don Walters of 5/11/2004 establishing the provenance of this piece as:
Dealer Rockwell Gardiner; to dealer G. W. ("Bill") Samaha, Milan, Ohio; to Lisa Baskin, nr Northampton, Mass.; back to Samaha on consignment; to dealer Don Walters, Northampton, Mass.; to dealer H. Marshall Goodman, Jr., Richmond, Va., who was AARFAM's immediate source. No earlier history has been noted as of 5/11/2004.