Painting

Title:

John Badger Bachelder

Object Name:

Painting

Object ID:

1914.007.01

Creator:

Stone, James M. (1841-1930) -- Artist

Place of Origin:

Boston, MA

Date:

1877

Description:

Portrait of John Badger Bachelder (1825-1894), by James M. Stone (1841-1930), 1877. Oil on canvas on aluminum. Bust-length portrait of a man, facing slightly left. Sitter has white hair, long beard and moustache with bare chin, and gray eyes. Wearing a black coat, bow tie, white shirt with turnover collar, and red cross-like shirt studs. Brown background. An engraved brass nameplate on the frame reads: "JOHN BADGER BACHELDER / GOVERNMENT HISTORIAN / of the / BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG / 1825-1894." A paper attached to the frame is inscribed in script in black ink: "PORTRAIT OF / JNO. B. BACHELDER / BY J. M. STONE / DELIVER AT 76 STUDIO BLDG." Gilded gesso over wood frame with fruit and floral corners, rounded exterior molding, sand gilding interior; liner with oval window.

Material:

Textile

Dimensions:

H-27 W-22 inches

Provenance:

Donated by Charlotte Butler Stevens (1840-1925) of Nottingham, NH, administrator of the estate of her sister, Elizabeth Barber Stevens Bachelder (1829-1914), wife of John Badger Bachelder.

John Badger Bachelder, historian and artist, was the "Government Historian of the Battle of Gettysburg." Born September 1825 in Gilmanton, NH. Attended Gilmanton Academy and Capt. Alden Partridge's Military School at Pembroke, NH. Taught military tactics at Penn. Military Institute, Reading, PA, 1849-3. Produced a series of paintings of New England, "Gallery of Cities," 1855-61. Arrived at Gettysburg immediately after the battle and began collecting material for his History of Gettysburg. This was never finished, but his collection of materials, now at NHHS, are valuable sources of information for scholars. He designed the historical paintings "Last Hours of Lincoln" and "Battle of Gettysburg" (see 1921.4.2-2). He married Elizabeth Stevens of Nottingham, NH, 1854. Received title of Colonel from service in militia. Died Hyde Park, MA, 1894.

Credit Line:

Gift of Charlotte Butler Stevens and the Estate of Elizabeth Stevens Bachelder

People:

Stone, James M. (1841-1930), Bachelder, John Badger (1825-1894), Bachelder, Elizabeth B. (1828-1914), Stevens, Charlotte B. (1840-1925)

Subjects:

Historians, Authors, Civil War, Artists, Portrait paintings, Portraits