* artists illustrating boys fashions: Jefferson Gaunt Spies children








Jefferson Gauntt (1806-64) (United States, 18060-64)


Figure 1.-- Jefferson Gauntt was an important American naive artist. Jefferson Gauntt seems to have painted all his known portraits of children in outdoor settings which was unusual in American art at the time. The names of the children are unknown, only that they were painted in Brooklyn, New York despite the country setting. Gauntt settled there in 1832 after studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia. He worked in Brooklyn until at least 1857. So we believe the portrait was likely painted in the 1830s. This is a charming image and one of the portraits for which Gauntt is best known. The unidentified sister and younger brother wear similar dresses, but there are minoir differences. First the girl's pantakettes (also referred to as pantaloons) have more lace than her brother's. Second the boy's dress is decorated with buttons, a type of decortion more associated with boys. Although boys were more commonly shown with dogs, the boy holds a cat. (And there are portaits of girls with dogs.) The girl holds a typically girlish bouquet of flowers and protectively hokds a protective arm over her little brother's shoulders.

Jefferson Gauntt was an important American naive artist. We have been unable to find much biographical information. He was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey (1806). Gauntt studied and exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He aspired to become an academic artist, but mist of his best know works have the stiff awkward look characteristic of folk/naive art that predominated American portraiture in the early-19th century. Gauntt spent several years traveling along the East Coast painting portraits, eventually settling in Brooklyn (1832). Apparently did not sign most of his portraits, there are as a result, very few portaits that can be automativally assifned to him. There are, however, a larger number of works that have been attributed to him by art historians. Many do not seem to be dated. Gauntt's work reflects a trend away from the early American linear folk style to the more realistic style of refined European academic portraiture. The children's portaits we have found seem to date to a narrow windoow--the 1830s or perhaps the early-40s. Of course, Gauntt and other naive artists were affected by the appearance of photography (1840s). Three important works are 1) an unknown brother and sister, 2) the Spies childrem, and 3) the Jennison children. . The two childrenn portait can be fairly conclusively dated to the 1830s because of Gauntt's work in Brooklyn, although one art historian dates it to 1843. There is no explanation as to this dating as the inly information in the back of the portrait is that it was painted in Brooklyn. Perhaps he moved back to Brooklyn, but the limited biographical information availble make that difficult to assess. The Spies appear to be German immigrants, but we have no further unfirmation. The Spies portait also, looks to us to have been painted in the 1830s, although that is only our preliminary assessment. And we can find no dating for the portait. The very large Jennison family was painted in 1837, again in an outdoor setting. The eight children were the proginy of Marie Antoinette and of William Jennison, a prosperous merchant who moved from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Brooklyn, New York, by 1832. The children age from infancy proably to about 20 years of age, although naive arttists like Gauntt commonky fail to acctrate depict ages. Clothing detaikls are another matter. The boys all wear black tunics which mean older ages than are normally depicted wearing tunics. Only one girl is depicted in a colored dress.

Biography

Jefferson Gauntt was an important American naive artist. We have been unable to find much biographical information. He was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey (1806). (some sources say 1805.) Gauntt studied and exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He aspired to become an academic artist, but moist of his best know works have the stiff awkward look characteristic of folk/naive art that predominated American portraiture in the early-19th century. Gauntt spent several years traveling along the East Coast painting portraits, eventually settling in Brooklyn (1832). We go yhe impression that he moved from Brooklyn in tht=e lzte 1830s, but perhaps he moved back as we note, but he seens tio hve mioved bsck because the unknown 'Two Children' porteait is often dated 1843. We have no family information. And he died in Brooklyn (1864).

Body of Work

Gauntt apparently did not sign most of his portraits, there are as a result, very few portaits that can be automativally assifned to him. There are, however, a larger number of works that have been attributed to him by art historians. Many do not seem to be dated. Gauntt's work reflects a trend away from the early American linear folk style to the more realistic style of refined European academic portraiture. The children's portaits we have found seem to date to a narrow windoow--the 1830s or perhaps the early-40s. Of course, Gauntt and other naive artists were affected by the appearance of photography (1840s).

Children's Portraits

Three important Gauntt works are 1) an unknown brother and sister, 2) the Spies childrem, and 3) the Jennison children. We are unsure about the dating, but all would have been painted in the 1830s to the early-40s.

Spies Children (1830s?)

The Spies family appear to be German immigrants although we do noit jnow just when they immigrant. Wwe have no further information on yhe family. Of course a painted portrait mean almost by definition that they were a prosperoud faily. The Spies portait looks to us to have been painted in the 1830s, although that is only our preliminary assessment. We can find no dating for the portait, despite the fact that there are many internet sites that have loaded the portrait, unfortunately with no real information abvout it. It is the most animated of the children's porttaits. There are four children. The two older girls wear identical adult-styled dark brown dresses. Notuice the popular coral necklassess and characteristic straw bonnrts. (This is the style generally attributed to pioneer women.) The younger children are a boy and girl. The boy wears a two-color skeleon suit with an open collar that had lacy trim. The jacket has short sleeves. yonger girl wears white dress with an orange bodice. She also has a coral necklace.

Jennison Children (1837)

The very large Jennison family was painted in 1837, again in an outdoor setting. The eight children were the proginy of Marie Antoinette and of William Jennison, a prosperous merchant who moved from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Brooklyn, New York, by 1832. The children age from infancy proably to about 20 years of age, although naive arttists like Gauntt commonly fail to acctrate depict ages. Clothing details are another matter. The boys all wear black tunics which mean older ages than are noirmally depicted wearing tunics. Nor do we see so many black tunics. The boys wear while long pants with theiur tunics. we are not sure what thry were called, possibly pantaloons or drawers. We are not sure what material was used, presumably a heavier material than the patelettes of the girls. The boys all have prominent pointed collars, except for one boy who has a lacy collar. There is not a lot to describe about the cliothing is because the boys wear idsebtucak blsck tunics. Only one girl is depicted in a colored dress. Noticr the props, a flower chickjen, butterfly, berries, basket, and hoop. We are not sure what the baby is holding.

Two Unknown Children (1843?)

We had thought thst the 'Two Children' could be fairly conclusively dated to the 1830s because of Gauntt's work in Brooklyn, although one art historian dates it to 1843 (figure 1). There is no explanation as to this dating as the only information in the back of the portrait is that it was painted in Brooklyn. The names of the children are unknown, only that they were painted in Brooklyn, New York despite the country setting. Gauntt settled there in 1832 after studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia. He worked in Brooklyn until at least 1857. So we believe the portrait was likely painted in the 1830s, but we note that the poortait is often dated to 1843. We have not been ble to find the basis for this dating. This is a charming image and one of the portraits for which Gauntt is best known. The unidentified sister and younger brother wear similar dresses, but there are minor differences. First the girl's pantalettes (also referred to as pantaloons) have more lace than her brother's. Second the boy's dress is decorated with buttons, a type of decortion more associated wit boys. Although boys were more commonly shown with dogs, the boy holds a cat. (And there are portaits of girls with dogs.) The girl holds a typically girlish bouquet of flowers and protectively holds a protective arm over her little brother's shoulders.









HBC






Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Artist pages:
[Return to the Main American artist page]
[Return to the Main indvidual G-L artist page]
[Chronology][Countries][Individuals][Styles]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main American page]
[About Us]
[Introduction][Activities][Biographies][Chronology][Clothing styles][Countries][Girls][Theatricals][Topics]
[Bibliographies][Contributions][FAQs][Glossaries][Images][Index][Links][Registration][Tools]
[Boys' Historical Clothing Home]




Created: 9:31 AM 12/10/2020
Last updated: 9:32 AM 12/10/2020