Lot Essay
This painting is extremely important as it is accompanied by the original bill from Rufus Hathaway to Sylvanus Sampson and completes the documentation on a significant larger group of portraits by Hathaway. Dated April 29, 1793, Hathaway's bill to Sampson documents both Hathaway's rendering of Sampson's likeness at 1-0-0, as well as costs for materials involved at 0-4-0, and for making and gilding the frame in which the portrait still rests, a cost of 0-3-4. Several paintings by Hathaway which still retain their original frame show that in addition to the black and gilt frame seen on the Sampson portrait, he also created frames in faux-marbelized finish, thus suggesting some work or training in the decorative painting trades as well as portrait painting.
Sylvanus Sampson (1761-1848) was one of the more prominent citizens of Duxbury, Massachusetts. Born in 1761 to John and Rebecca (Brewster) Sampson, Sylvanus Sampson was, as his portait suggests, involved in commerce, both as a ship's captain and eventually a merchant. He also had interests in a salt works, wharf and store. Sylvanus Sampson ultimately allied himself through marriage and business with two other prominent Duxbury families, the Weston and Church families. In 1787, Sampson married Sylvia Church Weston (1768-1836), the daughter of Captain Ezra (1743-1822) and Sylvia (Church, 1748-1768) Weston; Ezra Weston, as well as his son, Ezra, Jr. (1772-1848), were also Sampson's business partners. Hathaway painted portraits of Sampson's wife, child and in-laws as well.
In addition to the bill of sale from Hathaway to Sampson for one portrait, two bills of sale from Hathaway to Ezra Weston, Sr. for six portraits are dated between January and June of 1793. As Ezra Weston had only two children by his two marriages, it seems likely that the six portraits alluded to in the bill to Weston must include some members of the Sampson family. This larger group of seven Sampson-Weston Family portaits, all executed in the first half of 1793 and all accounted for by surviving bills from the artist include Sylvanus Sampson, Sylvia Weston Sampson, their son, Church Sampson, Ezra Weston, Salumith Wadsworth Weston (Mrs. Ezra, Sr.), Ezra Weston, Jr. and Jerusha Bradford (Mrs. Ezra, Jr.). While the majority of these portraits were paid for by Weston, it is not known who was painted when or whether the portait of Church Sampson was painted posthumously or prior to his death on 21 March 1793. The portraits of Captain Ezra Weston, executed in a similar manner to that of Sylvanus Sampson, and Church Sampson was formerly in the Little Collection; the remainder of the Weston Family are in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center at Colonial Williamsburg. The portrait of Sylvanus' wife, Sylvia Church Weston Sampson, is presently in a private collection. The painting of seven portraits from a single family would have represented one of Hathaway's larger commissions; that it was accomplished within a year of his arrival in Duxbury is a sizeable statement about the artist's reputation and abilities.
Rufus Hathaway (1770-1842) was born in Freetown, Massachusetts to a large Quaker family. His family's work in the carpentry and ship building trades suggests where he may have received the early training allowing him to make and decorate his frames. In the early 1790s, Hathaway was working as an itinerant artist in the nearby Taunton area. By 1792, Hathaway had made his permanent home in Duxbury, where he painted both family members as well as prominent Duxbury residents like the Westons and Sampsons. Only three landscape paintings are attributed to Hathaway, and these include overmantels of Taunton Green, Taunton River, and a view of Duxbury Harbor. Hathaway's marriage in 1795 to Judith Winsor (1778-1881), the daughter of Duxbury merchant Joshua Winsor (1749-1827) whose portrait Hathaway painted circa 1793 as well, dramatically altered his career. It is believed that it was Joshua Winsor who convinced Hathaway of the uncertainty of an artist's life and the need to find a more stable profession; Rufus Hathaway ultimately became the Duxbury's resident doctor.
For information comprising this essay and for further information, see Lanci Valentine, Rufus Hathaway: Artist and Physician, 1770-1842 (Duxbury, 1987).
Sylvanus Sampson (1761-1848) was one of the more prominent citizens of Duxbury, Massachusetts. Born in 1761 to John and Rebecca (Brewster) Sampson, Sylvanus Sampson was, as his portait suggests, involved in commerce, both as a ship's captain and eventually a merchant. He also had interests in a salt works, wharf and store. Sylvanus Sampson ultimately allied himself through marriage and business with two other prominent Duxbury families, the Weston and Church families. In 1787, Sampson married Sylvia Church Weston (1768-1836), the daughter of Captain Ezra (1743-1822) and Sylvia (Church, 1748-1768) Weston; Ezra Weston, as well as his son, Ezra, Jr. (1772-1848), were also Sampson's business partners. Hathaway painted portraits of Sampson's wife, child and in-laws as well.
In addition to the bill of sale from Hathaway to Sampson for one portrait, two bills of sale from Hathaway to Ezra Weston, Sr. for six portraits are dated between January and June of 1793. As Ezra Weston had only two children by his two marriages, it seems likely that the six portraits alluded to in the bill to Weston must include some members of the Sampson family. This larger group of seven Sampson-Weston Family portaits, all executed in the first half of 1793 and all accounted for by surviving bills from the artist include Sylvanus Sampson, Sylvia Weston Sampson, their son, Church Sampson, Ezra Weston, Salumith Wadsworth Weston (Mrs. Ezra, Sr.), Ezra Weston, Jr. and Jerusha Bradford (Mrs. Ezra, Jr.). While the majority of these portraits were paid for by Weston, it is not known who was painted when or whether the portait of Church Sampson was painted posthumously or prior to his death on 21 March 1793. The portraits of Captain Ezra Weston, executed in a similar manner to that of Sylvanus Sampson, and Church Sampson was formerly in the Little Collection; the remainder of the Weston Family are in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center at Colonial Williamsburg. The portrait of Sylvanus' wife, Sylvia Church Weston Sampson, is presently in a private collection. The painting of seven portraits from a single family would have represented one of Hathaway's larger commissions; that it was accomplished within a year of his arrival in Duxbury is a sizeable statement about the artist's reputation and abilities.
Rufus Hathaway (1770-1842) was born in Freetown, Massachusetts to a large Quaker family. His family's work in the carpentry and ship building trades suggests where he may have received the early training allowing him to make and decorate his frames. In the early 1790s, Hathaway was working as an itinerant artist in the nearby Taunton area. By 1792, Hathaway had made his permanent home in Duxbury, where he painted both family members as well as prominent Duxbury residents like the Westons and Sampsons. Only three landscape paintings are attributed to Hathaway, and these include overmantels of Taunton Green, Taunton River, and a view of Duxbury Harbor. Hathaway's marriage in 1795 to Judith Winsor (1778-1881), the daughter of Duxbury merchant Joshua Winsor (1749-1827) whose portrait Hathaway painted circa 1793 as well, dramatically altered his career. It is believed that it was Joshua Winsor who convinced Hathaway of the uncertainty of an artist's life and the need to find a more stable profession; Rufus Hathaway ultimately became the Duxbury's resident doctor.
For information comprising this essay and for further information, see Lanci Valentine, Rufus Hathaway: Artist and Physician, 1770-1842 (Duxbury, 1987).