Painting

Title:

Franklin Pierce

Object Name:

Painting

Object ID:

1893.001.03

Creator:

Tenney, Adna (1810-1900)Artist

Place of Origin:

Concord, NH

Date:

1852

Description:

Portrait of Franklin Pierce (1804-1869), attributed to Adna Tenney (1810-1900), 1852. Oil on canvas on aluminum. Half-length portrait of a man, facing slightly right; eyes toward viewer. Sitter has curly brown hair, graying on sides, and blue eyes. He is wearing a black coat, waistcoat, and trousers, white shirt with high collar, and black stock. Seated in a red velvet upholstered armchair with a curved rosewood back. Sitter's left arm resting on arm of chair; right elbow on arm on chair and right hand on lap. Graduated brown background.Unsigned. Modern gilded gesso over molded wood frame.

Material:

Textile
Canvas
Aluminum

Dimensions:

H-36 W-29 inches

Provenance:

Benjamin Pierce (1757-1839) was the grandfather of the donor, Frances McNeil Potter (d. 1892).

"With Franklin Pierce's nomination as the Democratic Party's candidate for President in 1852, he became a national figure. Artist Adna Tenney painted this lifelike portrait of the candidate and several copies for family, friends, and supporters. It was also copied, reproduced, and widely distributed as inexpensive prints." (exhibition label from "Franklin Pierce: Defining Democracy in America," 2004)

Credit Line:

Bequest of Frances McNeil Potter

People:

Pierce, Franklin (1804-1869), Tenney, Adna (1810-1900), Potter, Frances McNeil (c. 1820-1892)

Subjects:

Pierce, Franklin, Presidents, Lawyers, Senators (U.S.), Military officers