Painting

Title:

Bennett Claude Merlino de St. Pry

Object Name:

Painting

Creator:

attr to Benjamin Blyth

Date:

April1,1779

Material:

Pastels, paper

Dimensions:

H-4.75 L-21 Dia-7 inches
Dimensions are of the frame.
Portrait as seen:
Height: 18.00"
Width: 14.00"

Description:

Pastel portrait of white male, gray hair, blue eyes, gray suit with blue waistcoast and white cravat with ruffles. Black thin hair tie. Gray-brown background. Subject is Bennett Claude

Provenance:

Gifted to the Museum by John Harvey Treat, a member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Bennette Claude Merlino de St. Pry, a native of Lyons, France, lived in Boston during the American Revolution (1775-1783). A companion to General Lafayette, Bennett Claude was the father-in-law to Captain Samuel Treat through his daughter, Helen. He returned to France in 1783 and died that same year.

The portrait is attriubted to Benjamin Blyth. Blyth was one of the foremost pastel portrait artists in the Boston area of his day. He lived in Salem, Massachusetts, until 1782, when he mysteriously fled for Virginia, probably in an effort to escape payment of a large debt, for which he did not have the money. Benjamin's older brother, Samuel, also painted portraits, though Benjamin was considered the better of the two. Blyth died in Zanesville Ohio, in 1811, destitue.

Subjects:

Portrait drawings, Portraits, Pastel drawings, Pastels (Visual works)

People:

Blyth, Benjamin, Claude, Bennet

Place of Origin:

Unknown

Collection Name:

Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire

Item Number:

1990.163

Accession Number:

1990.163

Type of Material:

Objects

Copyright Statement:

For information regarding copyright, permissions, and reproductions contact the American Independence Museum

Credit Line:

Gift of John Harvey Treat

Participating Organization:

American Independence Museum