Portrait of Belene Ann Park

Dateca. 1840

Attributed to Da Lee Family (active ca. 1835-1847)

MediumWatercolor, pencil and ink on wove paper

DimensionsPrimary Support: 3 3/8 x 2 3/4in. (8.6 x 7cm) and Framed: 5 x 4 1/2in.

Credit LineGift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Object number1931.300.6

DescriptionA bust-length profile portrait of woman facing left; oval format with solid black framing sprandrels. She wears a brown dress with puffed gathered sleeves and gathered bodice. A gold and onyx pin is worn at the neckline. She wears a white shawl with green stripes and small paisley figurations loosely on her shoulders with a four-strand necklace at the neck. The features of the face are drawn tightly back on her head with a braided bun at the back. A black comb at the temple holds in place three long curls falling on the cheek. She sits in a brown pin-striped painted side chair with a straight crest rail. A light blue-green wash is used as a background within the oval.

The 1-inch gilded frame with applied bead molding is a period replacement.
Label TextFormerly, this crisp little profile was ascribed to Justus Da Lee (1793-1878) alone. Reattribution to the Da Lee family has come with the discovery that much of Justus's career involved working collaboratively with his brother, Richard W. M. Da Lee (1809-1868), and with his son, Amon G. J. Da Lee (1820-1879). Richard and Amon also worked independently of Justus but in such similar styles that usually it is impossible to distinguish the work of the three men unless the work is signed.

Justus Da Lee aptly billed himself as a "side portrait painter," meaning a profilist. He, Richard, and Amon all preferred this pose. The use of black spandrels is also typical of the three. Some Da Lee portraits bear subjects' names on the front; many more bear them faintly penciled on the reverse. Justus, if not all three Da Lees, is known to have retained miniatures following sittings so that he could work on them later, alone at home, delivering the miniatures to clients several days later. The inscribed names would have helped keep them straight.

InscribedOn the verso of the primary support in penciled script is "Belene Ann Park."
MarkingsNo watermark found.
ProvenanceEdith Gregor Halpert, Downtown Gallery, New York, NY; Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., by whom given to CWF in 1939.