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Ad Code: 3
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from Auction House Records.
Portraits of Dr. Lyman Case and Emily Whiting Case: a pair
Artwork images are copyright of the artist or assignee
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Biography from AskART:
| Born in Leverett, Massachusetts, Erastus Field kept his home most of
his life in that state but did study briefly with Samuel F.B. Morse in
New York City where he lived from 1842 to 1848. He was a folk
portrait artist with little modeling skill, but is remembered for the
social idealism exhibited by his subjects.
Unlike many of his
peers who painted faces on pre-painted bodies, he did the faces first
and the clothing addressed social position. He also did
historical subjects, one of them being an American Centennial
commemoration for Springfield, Massachusetts. He was also known
for his scenes from classical mythology and Biblical history.
His
wife was artist, Phebe Gilmore, who exhibited as Mrs. P. G. Field at
the American Institute in New York City. The Fields lived first
in Hartford, Connecticut, then in Monson and Palmer, Massachusetts from
around 1832 to 1842. From 1842 to 1848 they lived in New York
City.
While in New York City he began to ork with more difficult subject matter, producing The Embarkation of Ulysses"
(c. 1844). In New York City he also became associated with the
daguerreotypist Abram Bogardus, and on his return to Massachusetts in
1848 began advertising himself as a daguerreotypist. Using these
skills, he based his portraits on photographs, and he also made
hand-colored photographic portraits. After 1848, most of his
paintings were biblical or historical subjects, sometimes adapted or
copies from prints.
Returning in 1848 to Massachusetts, he and
his wife lived for a time in Leverett and then Palmer before finally
settling in Sunderland in 1859, the year of Mrs. Field's death. Field
continued to paint until after 1876, during which time he completed his
most ambitious and well-known work, the grand Historical Monument to the American Republic
(9' x 13') painted for the American centennial. The artist lived
on in Sunderland until his death in 1900 at the age of 95.
Sources include:
Groce & Wallace, The New York Historical Society's Dictionary of Artists in America
Peter Falk, Who Was Who in American Art |
| ** If you discover credit omissions or have additional information to add, please let us know at registrar@AskART.com. |
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