* artists illustrating boys fashions: Jefferson Gauntt Jennijson family
Jefferson Gauntt: The Jennison Children
Figure 1.-- One of Jefferson Gauntt's children's portraits was the Jennison children. The very large 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 their tunics.
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. Younger boys also wore patelettes like their sisters, but older boys would have worn pants in a somewhat sturdier material. The white color, however, is notable with a juvenile look at the time. 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 ideentical black tunics. And the solid all black swath provide few details. The girls wear low neck lines. The yiunger girls wear shorter dresses, but with pantaletts to cover their legs, Notice that the older girl wears pantalettes to cover her ankles. Only one child is depicted wiuth a colored outfit. Also notice the props, a flower, chicken, butterfly, berries, basket, and hoop. We are not sure what the baby is holding. And finally a rooster is included.
