Artist/Maker

Grunewald, Gustavus

Place Made

Date Made

1839

Medium

oil on canvas

Dimensions

HOA: 15 5/8″; WOA 13 5/8; DOA 1 3/4″

Accession Number

2343

Description

Painting, oil on canvas of Francis Levin and Lisetta Marie (m.n. Vogler) Fries. Francis, who is on the right, is shown as a young man with light hair, brown eyes, high white collar, black tie, and black coat; on the right is Lisetta with brown hair and eyes, with net-like shawl trimmed in green, a yellow bow-shaped pin holding the shawl together, dark dress and a brown cord with a key-like object around her neck; both subjects facing foward. This painting is framed in a gold leaf frame with molded inner edge, glass is in front of the painting.

History

LABEL NOTES: Oil on canvas of the Vogler’s oldest daughter Lisetta (1820-1903), and her husband Francis Fries (1812-1863), who were married in 1838. It is interesting to note that Lisetta is 6 months pregnant with the couple’s first child when this portrait was painted. The watch which she wears suspended from a cord around her neck (with a key attached), and the gold broach on her shawl are very much like the ones which descended in the Vogler family on display in the shop. In the account book in which Lisetta records household expenses, she lists this painting on July 10, 1839, as “By two portraits in our favor by Grunewald 20.00”. By two portraits, does she mean that two paintings were excecuted by Grunewald or that this one painting includes 2 portraits? (JMB 3/2023)
The gilded frame is original.

RELATED NAME: Lisetta Vogler Fries (owner)

Artist Biography

ARTIST BIO: Gustavus Grunewald was born in 1805. He was European-trained and lived in Bethlehem, Pa. from 1831 until 1868, when he returned to Europe. Grunewald visited Salem in 1839, and he is known to have painted portraits, nativity scenes, and landscapes. He died in 1878.

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Casimir DeRham