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National Geographic : 1962 Sep
Contents
a brush in a variety of ways. A typical news paper advertisement of the early 19th century reads: "Bronzing, oil gilding and varnishing, enamelling on glass, painting with water col ors and crayons, portraits, miniatures and military standard painting, also drawings of machinaries of every description." Most of these artists did not sign their work and therefore have remained anony mous. Old diaries, letters, newspaper adver tisements, and contracts, however, tell us how primitive painters lived and worked. Many Gems of Early Americana Adorn the Collectors' Home in Maryland Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, daughter of au tomobile manufacturer Walter P. Chrysler, admires an 18th-century still life held by her husband, Col. Edgar William Garbisch. Over the fireplace hang an anonymous artist's portraits of "Mr. Denison" and "Mrs. Denison," painted about 1785. "Mother and Child in White," painted about 1790 by another unknown, gaze from the wall beside a rare Philadelphia highboy. Colonel and Mrs. Garbisch continue to add to their collection of 2,500 paintings. Mrs. Garbisch has long been a philanthro pist in many fields. Colonel Garbisch, a cor poration executive, won all-American foot ball fame as center and drop-kick specialist at West Point in the 1920's. started their careers as apprentices to coach painters, sign painters, or furniture makers. Often they took to the road in search of work and patrons. Like the tinker and tailor, they carried their tools in portmanteau, chest, or saddlebag. As "canvas" they often used whatever material was available-bedtick ing, window shades, copper or zinc sheeting, wood panels, and ordinary window glass. Advance notices heralded the painter's coming. "Those gentlemen," reads a news paper announcement of 1760, "either in town or country, who have picture panels over the chimney pieces, or on the sides of their rooms, may now have the opportunity of getting them filled at a very moderate rate." Patrons Demanded Stark Reality The elite among itinerant artists were the portrait painters. They were kept busy by early Americans who were determined that their likenesses be preserved for posterity. An enigma of primitive portraiture is that occasionally American wives in different areas appear with the same jewelry and wardrobe. One explanation is that the painter had gowns that he could drape on his subjects. Another is that he carried sample books from which patrons could select clothing and props. Or he could have prefabricated settings and bodies, leaving faces to be filled in when con fronted with the sitters-though a "headless" painting has yet to be found. Patrons allowed such license in settings and props, but when it came to faces they demanded stark reality. The hard-bitten pio neer farmer seems to have felt as did Oliver Cromwell, who sternly instructed his portrait ist: "Paint my picture truly like me... pim ples, warts, and everything as you see me...." 359
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