Painting

Title:

Hannah A. Bradley

Object Name:

Painting

Object ID:

1936.010.09

Creator:

Morse, Samuel F. B. (1791-1872)Artist

Place of Origin:

Concord, NH

Date:

1816-1817

Description:

Portrait of Hannah (Ayer) Bradley (1751-1817), by Samuel F. B. Morse (1791-1872), c. 1816. Oil on canvas. Half-length portrait of a woman, facing forward. Sitter has brown eyes. She is wearing a white cap with black band, gold necklace, white fichu, and large black coat. She is seated in a high-backed upholstered chair. Reddish brown curtain parted in the background revealing sky and landscape left. Unsigned. Paper label typed inscription on the reverse: "Samuel F. B. Morse / Hannah Bradley, wife of John Bradley, and daughter of Samuel Ayer Jr. / From M.H. Jewell / Nov. 20, 1936". Pen inscription on canvas reverse: "Sep 10-1912" and illegible ink stamp. Paper label with pencil and typed inscription right stretcher member: "S.F.B. Morse Pinxit / Hannah d.Samuel Ayer Jr. & Ann Hazzen / b.Aug.25.1751. m. John Bradley of / Concord N.H. May 30. 1771. / d. Concord Aug. 15.1817". Paper label with pencil inscription top stretcher member: " 105N". Gilded gesso over wood frame, corner decorations, and geometric cove.

Material:

Textile
Canvas

Dimensions:

H-12.1 W-10.1 inches

Provenance:

Said to have been used in the Bradley House, Concord, NH. Donor's mother was Susan A. Bradley, whose family had been in Concord since early in the 18th century.

Belonged to Charlotte Ayer (Mrs. Washington) Williams, younger sister of the donor's grandmother.

The fact that a portrait of Mrs. John Bradley was painted by Morse was first mentioned in the 1875 Memorial of S.F.B. Morse. An almost identical portrait, however, is said to have been owned by another descendant of the subject in Fryeburg, ME. The two branches of the family disputed which was the original. It may be significant that the use of canvas for portraits of this size seems very unusual in Morse's work.

Credit Line:

Gift of Margaret H. Jewell

People:

Bradley, Hannah (1751-1817), Bradley, John (1743-1815), Morse, Samuel F. B. (1791-1872), Jewell, Margaret H. (1866-1970)

Subjects:

Bradley, Hannah, Portrait paintings, Portraits