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"Boy in Blue" is not one, but three paintings on
one, single panel. On the reverse of the painting of the young
boy there is a 10" x 16" vignette depicting a group
of men, four of whom crowd a railing close to the picture plane.
One of the men holds a paper in his right hand. There are thirteen
to fourteen heads in the background. Beneath the vignette is
a 7" x 6 5/8" portrait of a dark haired man with sideburns,
who seemingly floats on a cloud; a 19th century convention for
portraying the deceased. It would appear that the three paintings
refer to the death of the father of the child on the front of
the panel, and the disposition of the father's estate.
Until recently, the painting belonged to Howard J. Ford (born
in 1920 in Suffield, CT). He was given the painting by his paternal
grandmother, Emma A. Sikes (born in 1870, Suffield). Emma Sikes'
father-in-law was Julius Fowler Sikes (born in 1824; died in
1901, Suffield), said to be a wealthy farmer. Julius Sikes' father
was Zenus Sikes, who was born in 1791 and died in 1826, two years
after the birth of his son Julius. If indeed the scene on the
reverse alludes to the death of the man in the clouds and the
disposition of his estate, this would positively identify the
child in this charming portrait as Julius, and the small portrait
on the reverse as his father, Zenus.
While the identity of the author of this painting remains
elusive, the style is consistent with some of the best itinerant
painters who worked in New England in the third and fourth decade
of the 19th century.
From Mr. Ford, the painting passed into the personal collection
of Tamworth, N.H. antiques dealers, Tom and Nancy Lindsey. |
