Painting

Title:

John McNeil

Object Name:

Painting

Object ID:

1936.005

Creator:

Willard, Henry (1800-1857)Artist

Date:

circa 1830

Description:

Portrait of Gen. John McNeil (1784-1850), attributed to Henry Willard (1800-1857), c. 1830. Oil on canvas. Half-length portrait of a man; head turned to left. Sitter has black hair and sideburns, and brown eyes. He is wearing a military uniform: dark blue coat, brass buttons on coat and sleeve, gold epaulets, gold embroidery of curvilinear vines on collar, and black stock. Sword is resting on sitter's right arm; sword has a gold hilt and scabbard with shield decoration. Pillar at right background; sky with pink and gray clouds center and left background; tree and landscape lower left. Unsigned. Paper label with handwritten inscription stretcher lower member: "Portrait of Genl. John McNeil / Was wounded at Niagara in the war / of 1812 - Was Collector of Port of / Boston for seventeen years-". NHHS label lower right stretcher member. Pencil inscription frame reverse top: "(Benham) Geo. F. OF 4 Clinton Place". Frame reverse bottom: "Benham" and stencilled "152 Fluted". Gilded gesso over wood frame, corner acanthus leaves, striped cove.

Material:

Textile
Canvas

Dimensions:

H-36.25 W-29.1 inches

Provenance:

John McNeil married Elizabeth A. Pierce, eldest daughter of Benjamin Pierce, in 1814; inherited the Pierce home. Their daughter Elizabeth, who married Capt. H. W. Benham, was the mother of the donor of the portrait. Original by H. Willard given to state by Mrs. C. E. Potter. and Mrs. H. W. Benham.

The donor, Lilla Marion Benham Dielman, was the wife of artist Frederick Dielman (1847-1935).

Credit Line:

Gift of Lilla Marion Dielman

People:

Dielman, Lilla M., McNeil, John (1784-1850), Pierce, Elizabeth (1788-1855), Willard, Henry (1800-1857)

Subjects:

McNeil, John, Military officers, Military uniforms, Portrait paintings, Portraits, Surveyors, Soldiers