Attributed to William Matthew Prior (New England and Baltimore, 1860-1873) Portraits of Millie and Lottie Darling

Description:

Attributed to William Matthew Prior (New England and Baltimore, 1860-1873)

Portraits of Millie and Lottie Darling, c. 1840, Lottie holds an "ABC" book and a basket of cherries, Millie's book is the "Sacred Gift" and she holds a red rose. Unsigned, oil on canvas, 27 x 22, in gilt frames. Condition: Minor varnish inconsistencies, craquelure, tiny repairs.

Provenance: An accompanying note reads "Millie and Lottie Darling, painted by their father. Lived in West Auburn, Maine and also buried there." A hand-written label on the reverse reads: "This picture is owned by Josephine Mann October 17, 1933."

Note: William Matthew Prior was born in Bath, Maine in 1806. From 1824-41 he was a professional portrait painter. By 1841, the Prior family and his brothers-in-law, also painters, moved to Boston. "These portraits painted in Maine illustrate Prior's advertisements 'Persons wishing for a flat picture can have a likeness without shade or shadow at one quarter the price'."
Estimate $30,000-50,000

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