Robert Street (American, 1796-1865)
Portrait of Miss Molly Monroe
1834
oil on canvas
signed and dated R. STREET 1834, center right
39 x 34 inches.

The back of the frame retains a printed paper label reading Museum of Fine Arts / Karolik 271 Robert Street, / Miss Molly Monroe.

According to records of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Maxim Karolik (1893-1963) loaned this portrait to the museum from August 1954 until June 1964. Karolik was an early champion of American Folk Art and is largely responsible for cultivating the category within the MFA's permanent collection.
This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Provenance:
Maxim Karolik, New York;
R.H. Love Galleries, Chicago;
thence acquired by the present owner.

Framed: 39 x 34 inches.
In overall fine and stable condition, with light deposits of dust to paint surface. Few frame abrasions to perimeter, most notably to upper edge and lower right corner. Slight warp to ground, with craquelure present throughout and one associated area of paint loss to hair at crown of head. Four areas of circular impact crackle visible, with small scratch at lower edge near proper left elbow. Relined canvas. Filled cracks to dress visible under UV examination, with few other scattered areas of inpainting to perimeter. Finish loss and cracks throughout frame, with loss to applied ornament to lower left corner.