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Lot Essay
Samuel Folwell (1764-1813), the only American artist whose drawings for schoolgirl silk compositions and memorial miniatures on ivory have been identified, operated a school in Philadelphia with his wife Ann Elizabeth Gebler Folwell (1770-1824) in Philadelphia in the early 19th century.
The needlework illustrated here employs many of the motifs typically associated with Folwell's work. These include the thatched cottages, distinctively drawn faces, and flipperlike hands of the figures. For further information on Samuel Folwell, see the following by Davida Tenenbaum Deutsch, "Samuel Folwell of Philadelphia: an artist for the needleworker," Antiques (February 1981), pp. 420-423; "The polite lady: portraits of American schoolgirls and their accomplishments, 1725-1830" Antiques (March 1989), pp. 742-753. See also "Collector's Notes," Antiques (September 1985), pp. 526-527, and (March 1989), pp. 616, 620 and 624.
This needlework most likely descended in the Hatch-Davis Families of Burlington, New Jersey. Eleanor Genge Hatch, who is known to have studied needlework at Elizabeth Barton's Pleasant Grove School in Wilmington, Delaware, may also have studied at Folwell's school in Philadelphia and may be the maker of this picture.
Christie's gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Davida Tenenbaum Deutsch in the identification of this needlework.
The needlework illustrated here employs many of the motifs typically associated with Folwell's work. These include the thatched cottages, distinctively drawn faces, and flipperlike hands of the figures. For further information on Samuel Folwell, see the following by Davida Tenenbaum Deutsch, "Samuel Folwell of Philadelphia: an artist for the needleworker," Antiques (February 1981), pp. 420-423; "The polite lady: portraits of American schoolgirls and their accomplishments, 1725-1830" Antiques (March 1989), pp. 742-753. See also "Collector's Notes," Antiques (September 1985), pp. 526-527, and (March 1989), pp. 616, 620 and 624.
This needlework most likely descended in the Hatch-Davis Families of Burlington, New Jersey. Eleanor Genge Hatch, who is known to have studied needlework at Elizabeth Barton's Pleasant Grove School in Wilmington, Delaware, may also have studied at Folwell's school in Philadelphia and may be the maker of this picture.
Christie's gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Davida Tenenbaum Deutsch in the identification of this needlework.