Rectangular, horizontal format; trompe l'oeil depicts a frame of brown, a shelf with books, pamphlets, letter, an ink well, two quill pens, and a card bearing the artist's name in an informal arrangement.
paintings (visual works)
oil paint (paint)
panels (wood)
books
still lifes
Painting
Oil on Panel
Still Life
Book
Painting
In paint on the upper left of the inkwell: ""FINE BLACK/INK/STAIONER'S HALL/NEW YORK"" In script on the white envelope in the lower left is the artist's name On the spine of the gray book in the upper right is 'LINGA'? On a jelly label on the reverse is typed: ""By Frederick Thomas Somerby,/1832. Born Newburyport, Mass./1814. Became an ornamental painter and writer. Died/Worcester in 1871. Brother/Lorenzo painted provincial/portraits/"" The shelf edge is letter in white: ""F.T. Somerby Pinx. 1832 [noted by NFL, cat. card; signature is still visible but difficult to read].
Original to Cogswell's Grant (Essex, Mass.),
Somerby, Frederic Thomas (American painter, 1814-ca.1870) (Artist)
Newburyport/ Worcester, MA, USA
10 1/2 x 16 1/4 x 1/2 (HxWxD) (inches)
Gift of Bertram K. and Nina Fletcher Little
1991.1590
Massachusetts (United States)
Probably
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