Painting

Title:

Fellows Children

Object Name:

Painting

Date:

1840-1850

Material:

Canvas
Paint
Wood

Dimensions:

H-1.3 W-4.75 D-0.25 inches

Description:

Portrait of children, Charles F. (1840-1911), Mary F. (1936-1912), and Sarah Fellows (children of Sarah Copps and Ignatius Fellows), attributed to Samuel P. Howes. The Fellows family lived in Lowell, MA, from 1833 to 1843, where Samuel Howes worked as an artist. The Fellows' three children shown in the painting are, from left to right, Charles F. (1840-1911), Georgiana B. (1842-?), and Mary F. (1836-1912). They were three of eleven children of Ignatius Webber Fellows (1805-1887) and Sarah Jane Copps Fellows (1809-1892). Several indicators of gender can be seen in this portrait. Charles has a side part in his hair, which was typical of that time, and Georgiana is holding an object which looks like a purse of some kind. Although young boys were depicted in dress identical to girls, no artist would have ever have painted a child with a prop that was inappropriate to its gender. Boys where often shown with whips, riding crops, and dogs in the background. Girls held flowers, plants, and dolls.

Provenance:

Samuel P.Howes (1806-1881) was born in Massachusetts and by 1829 was listed in various directories as a "painter" or "portrait painter". Howes visited Lowell, MA in 1835 and planned to stay for only a few days, but ended up staying in Lowell for the rest of his life. Howes moved to Lowell at a time when demand for painted portraits was beginning to decline after the invention of the daguerreotype; however, there was still demand for portraits in this fast growing industrial area. For the artist, Lowell offered a fast growing, prospective clientele without the portrait competition of a large city. The years from 1835 to 1845 were Howes most productive years as a portrait painter. Full sized portraits were offered for ten to thirty-five dollars, depending on size. After 1845, he began listing himself as a "daguerreotypist and portrait painter" in the city directories.

Subjects:

Portrait paintings, Paintings

People:

Fellows, Ignatius, Fellows, Sarah Jane Copps, Howes, Samuel P., Fellows, Charles F., Fellows, Georgiana B.

Item Number:

1983.1103

Accession Number:

1983.1103

Type of Material:

Objects

Copyright Statement:

For information regarding copyright, permissions, and reproductions contact the Hopkinton Historical Society

Credit Line:

Gift of the Heirs of W. F. Fellows

Participating Organization:

Hopkinton Historical Society