Description:
Previously offered at Heritage Auctions with reserve in 2007 this remained unsold with an estimate of $20,000-$30,000., now offered unreserved.
A miniature watercolor and gouache on ivory portrait of Catherine Alexander (Lady Kitty Duer). The case is a cameo pin. On verso of case is inscribed "Catherine Alexander born 1755- died 1826, daughter of General William Alexander Earl of Stirling and of Sarah van Brugh Livingston wife of Colonel William Duer.
William Duer, born in England in 1743, Duer was the son of a very successful West Indian planter. Educated at Eton, Duer settled in America in 1773, became sympathetic with the colonists grievances against Britain and, at the same time, he quickly began to hold positions of importance in New York society. Duer regaled his friends and associates at dinner at his home on Broadway, not far from Wall Street, where Trinity Church is still located. At his wedding to Catherine Alexander ("Lady Kitty"), the bride was given away by George Washington.

Material:
Watercolor on Ivory

Maker/Artist:
In the manner of Charles

Date:
18th century

Provenance:
n/a

Size of Artwork:
H. 1 .93 x W. 1 .43

Weight (LBS)
.05

Condition:
Losses at extreme edges and in hair.

History:
Birth: Mar. 8, 1755New OrleansOrleans ParishLouisiana, USADeath: Jul. 26, 1826New YorkNew York County (Manhattan)New York, USADaughter of Revolutionary War General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, and wife of William Duer.According to "The Descendants of James Alexander", published in 1881 as part of "The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volumes 11-13", she was buried at St. Thomas Church in New York City and later moved to Jamaica, Queens. Family links: Parents: William Alexander (1726 - 1783) Sara Livingston Alexander (____ - 1805) Spouses: William Duer (1747 - 1799) William Nielson (1735 - ____) Children: William Alexander Duer (1780 - 1858)* John Duer (1782 - 1858)* Frances Duer Robinson (1785 - 1869)* Catherine Duer (1788 - 1882)* Maria Theodora Duer Chew (1789 - 1837)* Henrietta Elizabeth Duer Robinson (1790 - 1839)* Alexander Duer (1793 - 1819)* Sibling: Mary Alexander Watts (____ - 1820)* Catherine Alexander Duer (1755 - 1826)Burial:Grace Episcopal Churchyard JamaicaQueens CountyNew York, USA
Born in Chester, Maryland in 1741, Charles Willson Peale became one of the major figures in American art and in other areas such as military figure, naturalist, curator, and inventor. He developed an art and natural history museum that became world famous, especially for the gallery of artwork that had his more than 250 portraits of distinguished Americans. In his home, Peale charged admission to persons to see his depictions of American heroes. By 1788, he opened a natural history museum in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and eventually accumulated over 100,000 items that included paintings, fossils, minerals, stuffed animals, and skeletons.In 1795, he opened his own art academy, which was not a success, and in 1805, he became one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Academy.His father was a schoolmaster who died prematurely, and Charles grew up as the eldest son in Annapolis, Maryland and helped support his widowed mother. He apprenticed in saddle making, silver smithing, sign painting and portraiture, and had several lessons with painter John Hesselius to whom he gave a saddle in exchange for instruction. He also studied in Boston with portraitist and silversmith John Singleton Copley and with painter John Smibert. When he returned to Maryland from his Boston training, his talent was recognized by men who were planters and they raised subscription money for him to study with expatriate history and portrait painter, Benjamin West, in London. He also studied the Italian masters in Italy. In 1769 he returned to Annapolis and there became an established portraitist in the neo-classical style learned from Benjamin West. For additional commissions, he traveled to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Williamsburg, Virginia and to Mount Vernon, home of George and Martha Washington. In 1775, he moved to Philadelphia where he hoped to find more portrait subjects. Shortly after, he joined the militia and fought with Washington at the battles of Princeton and Trenton, and during this period created miniatures of army personnel. In 1778, he settled in Philadelphia but continued to visit Baltimore and the eastern shore of Maryland.From 1810 to 1821, he lived as a gentleman farmer near Philadelphia but returned to the city in 1822 to take over the management of the Peale Museum.His fourteen portraits of George Washington include the first authentic likeness of him and include seven portraits painted from life. At Valley Forge where he was painting General Washington, Peale also painted portraits of many other colonial leaders including the Marquis de Lafayette.An outspoken anti-royalist, Peale served in the Revolutionary War and alienated many of his wealthy patrons with their British loyalties. From three marriages, he had three children, many whom became artists. In 1827, Charles Peale died at age 86, the result of catching a cold while crossing a body of water to court a woman.