Painting

Title:

Joseph N. Cilley Family of Nottingham, NH

Object Name:

Painting

Object ID:

2007.026

Creator:

Unknown

Place of Origin:

Exeter, NH (?)

Date:

circa 1883

Description:

Portrait, Joseph N. Cilley Family of Nottingham, NH, unknown artist, c. 1883. Oil on canvas. Half-length group portrait of Joseph N. Cilley (1834-1900), his wife, Mary L. Butler (1844-1918), their son, Joseph (1878-1914), and daughter, Elizabeth W. (1875-1949). Boy, Joseph, in foreground with light blonde hair; wearing a white dress with a lace collar, and blue oval locket around neck. Woman, Mary, on right with brown hair tied-back and blue eyes; wearing a black dress with lace collar and cuff, and blue circular brooch on collar; Mary's left hand with a gold ring is touching child's hands in foreground. Man, Joseph, on left with beard and light brown hair wearing a black coat, white shirt, and black waistcoat. Child in back center, Elizabeth, has blond hair, blue eyes; wearing a blue outfit with gold buttons, white collar, and gold pin on collar. Family is sitting on a red-upholstered sofa. Red curtain in the background revealing sunset sky on right; ionic column in center background. Unsigned. Unframed.

Material:

Textile
Canvas

Dimensions:

H-36 W-29 inches

Provenance:

Joseph N. Cilley (1834-1900) was the son of U.S. Senator Joseph Cilley and the great grandson of Revolutionary War General Joseph Cilley. The portrait was acquired by the donor in 1995 from a dealer who had acquired this and other objects from the Cilley home in Nottingham.

Credit Line:

Gift of Peter Sawyer

People:

Cilley, Joseph N. (1834-1900), Cilley, Mary B. (1844-1918), Cilley, Joseph (1878-1914), Cilley, Elizabeth W. (1875-1949)

Subjects:

Children, Family, Fathers & children, Group portraits, Mothers & children, Parents, Portrait paintings, Portrait prints