1852 silhouette

[sonomabarn67]

i have a silhouette signed on the reverse James E Wise Berlin Feb 1859. Hand cut black paper with gold painted highlights. Original frame. About 6" x 5". that's all good... but I can't find him. It's top level work so he must be known. I'm thinking Germany from the frame but...? any thoughts? Thanks.

[lacemaker3]

Artistic work like this was a popular hobby for well-to-do (middle class) people in the 19th century. Watercolor painting, sketching, silhouettes like this one. Silhouettes were a popular way of making portraits because not everyone had the skill to capture a likeness with watercolors, and photographs were expensive. So it was not necessarily done by a professional artist, even if it wasn't the James E. Wise identified in the obituary.

Most likely Mr. Wise owned the cabinetmaking business, and funeral parlor, but he probably had people working for him in all those endeavors.  That would have left him plenty of time for a hobby. No TV or internet to take up time of course.

Another possibility is that the silhouette was made by an itinerant, traveling artist, and the name on the back was the client who commissioned the portrait (possibly of his wife).

[maxine*j]

---

@lacemaker3 wrote:

Artistic work like this was a popular hobby for well-to-do (middle class) people in the 19th century. Watercolor painting, sketching, silhouettes like this one. Silhouettes were a popular way of making portraits because not everyone had the skill to capture a likeness with watercolors, and photographs were expensive. So it was not necessarily done by a professional artist, even if it wasn't the James E. Wise identified in the obituary...

---

And, here in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, it is still a popular hobby.  And believe me when I say that "hobbyist" does not do justice to the exquisite and astounding work some do.  

It's the heritage of many, and some have pieces in the family dating back to earliest days of the "Fancy Dutch" settlement here in the 18th Century.

[mmadigan]

Palm Tree

In my hurry last night I forgot to reference the date of the paper.  The obit was found in the 3 Sept 1904 Snow Hill Democratic Messenger.  The editor must have skipped his math classes.

[mmadigan · Accepted solution]

His son, James Jr.  was born in 1866, so I doubt if he made it.

Below is the signature from the marriage bond in 1844 of James Wise of Berlin MA.

It is not identical but similar and note the period after James in both examples.

Another thought was maybe Wise made the frame.  Cabinet makers are known to sign their work so maybe he made the frame for a client and signed the work.

[mmadigan]

That should be Berlin MD.

It turns out that both states have a Worchester Co with a Berlin when I saw Worchester my brain filled in MA and my eyes ignored the MD.

[sonomabarn67]

Looks like I made a fool of myself on this one🤔. After seeing his sig on the document that looks like our guy. Thanks to all. Makes it so much easier to sell now that it's a gem of Americana. All of you are priceless.

[sonomabarn67]

Found a couple of references to gilding as being the technique for the fine gold painting on these.

[mmadigan]

Can you tell from the hair style or dress what time period the piece was done?

[sonomabarn67]

I think that might be over my head. I mean those are the details I come here to ask about. I think the 1852 date is probably accurate though. As a package it all looks true. The frame, the square nails, the paper, all of it is entirely plausible for being 1852. This was undisturbed when I bought it and I took it apart to clean the glass. Right as rain as they say, and I do have the training from to say that: an elderly couple with 50 years in the biz  gifted me their entire run of The Magazine Antiques and the Maine Antiques Digest and they bought me my first subscription to MAD. Soaked it up like a sponge. When I had my little shop I would just shut the door for a few hours when the mailed copy of MAD arrived to read it cover to cover.. Means nothing to people now!

[lacemaker3]

---

@mmadigan wrote:

Can you tell from the hair style or dress what time period the piece was done?

---

The 1852 date is right in line with the hair style and clothes.

[joolt-28]

Is this a piece that someone has questions on and or is it an available piece

[sonomabarn67]

Gone from my life. The rules of the discussion board forbid the selling of items so we all just discuss the items that are presented. Thanks for your interest!

[joolt-28]

Thank you for responding I am sure this was my great grandfather from Berlin MD he was also found to be one of the oldest living undertaker in the US and was awarded that by the Bates casket makers around 1900 por so it's a heartfelt desire to find something that connects me to him

[sonomabarn67]

Ebay has a search function that will send you an email when a match is found. I dont know how it works. You should also try the different search engines, Good luck!