This lovely oil on canvas painting shows the six 'Children of Mr. and Mrs. Israel Griffith'. It was painted about 1844, by Oliver T. Eddy. The children look to be about 8-18 years old, not counting the baby. Four of the children were girls. We are not sure about the baby. We could make a guess if we knew what the child is playing with. As the girls look to be mostly teenagers, they have longish skirts. The girl at the right in a pink dress has a skirt above her ankles has them covered with pantalettes. The boy wears a jacket with a small frilled collar and three columns of buttons. Yhere is still some resenlance to the skeleton suit. His tight cut pants expose white socks.

This lovely oil on canvas painting shows the six 'Children of Mr. and Mrs. Israel Griffith'. It was painted about 1844, by Oliver T. Eddy who lived and worked in Baltimore for a time. The children's father, Israel Griffith (1799-1875), was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore at the time was a very important Amrrican port city. And by the time this portrait was painted, rail lines from the city were beginning to be built west and would eventually cross the Appalachians. Griffith became a successful dry goods merchant in the city. He initially went into business with his brother Henry Berry Griffith (1788-1832) under the name "Israel & Henry Berry." Photography appeared in the 1840s, but group portraits like this were rare, especially portraits set in thev family home. The Griffiths had 10 children. Two children, George (1838) and George (1838-43) died in childhood. The Eddy portrait shows six of the Griffith children. Theyv are (from left to right): Israel Griffith, Jr. (1835-62), Sarah Ann "Sallie" Griffith Ruddach (1835-81), Mary Eleanor Griffith Farnandis (1828-1910), Frances Ann Griffith Hungerford (1830-63), Alverda V. Griffith (1832-1901), and Emma Griffith Coleman (1842-1910) (the bby seated on floor). The family is buried in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore. The children pictured look to be about 8-18 years old, of course not counting the baby. Almost all of the Griffith children were girls. As the girls were mostly teenagers, they have longish skirts. The girl at the right in a pink dress has a skirt falling to just above her ankles, but has her ankles demurely covered by pantalettes. Norice that the pantalettes were pink, matching her dress. Forbmkost children, pntalettes were white. George wears a jacket with a small frilled collar and three columns of buttons. There is still some resenlance to the skeleton suit. His tight cut pants expose white socks.

Created: 8:48 AM 3/1/2024
Last updated: 8:51 PM 3/1/2024