[Silhouette collection]
Title
[Silhouette collection]
Description
Collection of silhouettes, primarily bust-length and cut at a Peale's Museum (Philadelphia, Baltimore or New York) in the early 19th century. Items often contain physiognotrace impressed lines and some contain amateur pencil markings. A small number also include eyelash cutouts, contain ink details to depict hair or collars, or are folded in fours. Many silhouettes also include hair adornments and other fashion details, including ribbons, bows, collars, bonnets, hats, and flowers. Collection also contains one non-portrait cutout composed of a bird, several branches, and a temple-like structure, as well as several numbered leaves of silhouettes removed from an album. Leaves contain 1- 8 silhouettes, some cut and some in ink. The silhouettes also show flowers adorning clothing, hair, and as bouquets; hair ornaments; ribbons; and hats. Some silhouettes depicted as if framed or with pictorial details or overdrawn with scales of dimension. A small number of uncut silhouettes inserted in one of the albums [P.9346] and a scrap completed February 25, 1837 by silhouette sitter Miss Anne Sophia Billmeyer, Germantown containing manuscript notes related to religious values and morals, possibly notes from a sermon, also form the collection [P.2010.29.17]., Sitters identified by inscriptions include Lydia Biddle; Paulus Brzostowski; Isaac Collins, Jr.; William Dilworth; Rebecca Gratz; Rubens Peale; Robert Pearsall, Sr.; Robert Pearsall, Jr.; Benjamin Say, Thomas Shillitoe; John Snyder, Jr.; and Benjain West. Surnames of other identified sitters include Bartram, Lansadale, Caldwell, Collins, Headley, Logan, and Smith., Title supplied by cataloger., Several blindstamped: Museum or Peale's Museum [with image of eagle]., Some blindstamped: Day's Patent or Todd's Patent., Some sitters identified by inscriptions on recto or verso. Some inscriptions illegible., Some annotated with addresses, or a number, or a series of sequential numbers., One of albums (P.9347) accompanied by list of sitters written in manuscript., Artists include Raphaelle Peale, William James Hubard, T. P. Jones, Moses Williams, Martha Ann Honeywell, J. M'Conachy, Isaac Todd, and Augustus Day., P.9339.22c blindstamped: T. P. Jones, fecit., P.9341.31d blindstamped: J. M'Conachy., P.2012.3 mounted on textile and suggested, but doubtfully by Martha Ann Honeywell., Silhouette of Rebecca Gratz [8146.F] inscribed: Cut with scissors by Master Hubbard without Drawing Machine. Accompanied by manuscript letter signed R. Gratz, secy., Silhouettte of John Snyder, Jr. [P.9343.1] inscribed: Cut by M. Honeywell with the mouth., Silhouette of Mr. Shaw's Blackman [P.9339.59a] attributed to Moses Williams., Silhouette of Moses Williams [(3) 5750.F.153b] probably by Moses Williams but possibly by Raphaelle Peale., P.9340.80 contains manuscript note: Mr. Gill will call for two pictures in frames paid for [pr J. L. S.?], Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., P.9339-P.9341 and P.9346 & P.9347 bequest of James Rush., P.9686 gift of Elizabeth McLean., Three of collection [P.2012.1.1-3] transferred from Things Found in Books Collection., Index to sitters available at repository.
Date
[ca. 1803-ca. 1841]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Silhouette Collection [5306.F.144 c1; (3)5750.F.39 1/2d(v); (3)5750.F.153b; 8146.F; 8416.F; P.9339; P.9340; P.9341; P.9342; P.9343; P.9346; P.9347; P.9686; P.2010.29.1-17; P.2012.1.1-3; P.2012.3]