Figure 1.--Figure 1.--Here are the four Nellis children, we think in the 1840s. We do not have the children's first name, but they are clearly two boys and possibly two girls, although we are unsure abut he younger child. Naive artists are very good at depicting clohing details, but very poor at depicting ages, but we would guess that the children were about 3-12 years of age. /i>

This painting is entitled 'The Nellis Children". They are from Sherburne, New York a town in central New York, west of Albany. We know nothing more about the family. We see four children and a pet dog in a landscape setting. We see the portrasit dated as 1840. We can not coinfirm that the dating comes from the painting. Many Balis paintings are dated on the back. That may be a little early for Balis, but we are not sure. The 1840s may be more accurate. While the dsatin is not confirmed, the style of the portrait clearly shows that it was a Calvin Balis work. We do not have the children's first name, but they are clearly two boys and possibly two girls, although we are unsure abut he younger child. Naive artists are very good at depicting clohing details, but very poor at depicting ages, but we would guess that the children were about 3-12 years of age. The youngest child with the pooch may be a boy or girl. Yonger boys wore dresses just like their sisters. The dress loks the same as what the older girl is wearing, only a different color. There is a low necvkline wih decorative trim ar he necklines and sleeves. The boys are dressed similarly with white pants. Their tops are aifferent. The younger boy has akind of blousde top. It is burgandy top with decorative trim at the neckline. The older boy has a black or navy blue jacket with brass buttons and holds a broad-brimmed hat, perhaps a straw hat. The older girl wears a red dress with a low neckline with pantalettes. Notice the dlate bosrd, meabing that he was still in school, That probably meansthatr she was not older than 13 years. At the time the focus was on boys' eduication. It is interesting that the family went ut of their way to identify the girl as a scholar. America as in many other areas ofwomen's rights was a world leader--something rarely mentioned by university professors in women's studies.

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Created: 1:04 AM 1/6/2026
Last updated: 1:04 AM 1/6/2026