Attributed to Lyman Emerson Cole (American, 1812-1878) Portrait of a Child unsigned oil on canvas 35 x 27 in. Footnotes: Provenance From a Marblehead, Massachusetts collection. Lot Essay Emily Esser, Portrait & American Folk Art Specialist The journey to identify Lyman Emerson Cole was long and complicated, but well worthwhile. Once overshadowed by his higher-profile artist brothers Charles and Joseph, Lyman E. Cole (b. 1812), the middle child, was equally skilled and memorable. All three sons were born into the painter's trade; their father was an immigrant from France to Newburyport, Massachusetts. As soon as opportunity allowed, the elder Cole changed his name from Jacques Moyse to Moses, picked up his paintbrush, and set out to make a living in America. Later on, like their father, Charles and Joseph travelled more broadly, but Lyman preferred to stay closer to home. During Lyman's long portraiture career, which he spent primarily in the Newburyport vicinity, he produced a substantial, recognizable, and high-quality body of work. Yet, for the most part, Lyman's portraits have lost their names. How can this be? Like most itinerant painters, he rarely signed his paintings. And family lore can be like hearsay, mutating with each recollection. A highly distinctive L.E. Cole portrait, featuring a child in a similarly vibrant red dress, was curiously given the backstory of having been painted by 'a wheelwright who was repairing a wagon at the family farm' [1]. No corresponding record exists of Lyman as itinerant handyman. Indeed, he was a professional artist through and through: an 1852 advertisement promises 'He will warrant perfect satisfaction.' Lyman Cole's portraits, though temporarily nameless, are prominently featured in prime collections. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Martha Bartlett with Kitten is a particularly well-crafted example, featuring a little girl with her pet; her plaid dress is rendered with superb precision [2]. Another exceptional piece, featuring a pair of little girls dressed in blue, belonged to the Fenimore Art Museum and appeared in seminal publications such as Folk Art's Many Faces [3]. And, in Sotheby's 1997 Important Americana auction, a stellar triple portrait was almost offered by name: the catalogue text states, 'Inscribed 'Painted by L.E. Co(?)' on verso' [4]. We have come a long way since. It was a process of gradual accumulation by which Lyman Cole's portraits were rediscovered. Nearly all of the signed or inscribed examples are adults, limiting the stylistic range that could be ascribed to the painter. The artist of these distinctive child portraits, meanwhile, was temporarily an unnamed 'limner.' However, there were occasional clues. An 1855 half-length portrait of a young girl with a flower bouquet bore the initials L.E.C. [5]. An exhaustive hunt for other artists with these initials proved unfruitful. But, at long last, a trademark portrait of a boy with a dog and bird was decisively linked to a Catalog of American Portraits record, placing it in Newburyport, ascribed to the hand of Lyman Emerson Cole [6, 7]. As with most folk art painters, Cole's child portraits tend to follow a consistent format. They are typically turned just so, leaning slightly forward, with the right foot pointed out. Vibrant red dresses are a common choice. Particularly in the 1850s and 60s portraits, Cole takes great care with the details of the outfits and shoes. His choice of paint could often be fugitive, fading with time if improper care was taken of the painting throughout its long lifespan. However, the presently offered portrait shows no such signs of deterioration, preserving the vibrant tones in their original color. The child's book page, featuring an illustration of a dog, may be a reference to an educational chapbook, a small pamphlet publication for children to read and learn. A similar page appears in one such chapbook, Child's First Step an illustrated volume of the ABCs [8]. There, the simple text reads: 'D was a dog that guarded a flock.' That illustrated dog is standing, not sitting, but there is a real similarity. Dogs were a popular choice in these sorts of books, which used familiar figures. It seems probable that this type of volume was Cole's intention, but it may simply have been an object the family happened to have. It was common to give children props to hold during a portrait sitting, distracting them while the artist worked as fast as he could! Cole's child portraits are rare to see at auction, and even less so when offered by name. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to discuss, explain, and present Lyman E. Cole as the attributed author of this piece. While the sitter remains nameless at this time, it is not inconceivable that a clue might turn up in the future. End Notes: 1. American School (19th century), Portrait of a Girl Wearing a Red Dress and Holding a Small Bouquet of Flowers, c. 1835, American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Skinner, Marlborough, Massachusetts, 14 August 2011, Lot 597. 2. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, 1980.341.11. 3. Paul S. D'Ambrosio and Charlotte M. Emans, Folk Art's Many Faces: Portraits in the New York State Historical Association (Cooperstown: Fenimore Art Museum, 1987), p. 199-200. 4. American School, 19th century, A Family Portrait, Important Americana, Sotheby's, New York, New York, 17-18 June 1997, Lot 270. 5. Portrait of a Young Girl, Period Furniture, Fine Art & Accessories, Pook & Pook, Downingtown, Pennsylvania, 15 January 2011, Lot 279. 6. American School (19th century), Portrait of a Boy with a Dog and Holding a Red Bird, American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Skinner, Boston, Massachusetts, 7 March 2010, Lot 455. 7. Lyman Emerson Cole, Unidentified Boy, 1846, Catalog of American Portraits, no. NH070032. 8. The Child's First Step up the Ladder of Learning (New York: Mahen Day's Juvenile Book Store, c. 1830). Further Reading: 'Lyman Emerson Cole.' American Folk Portraits, https://americanfolkportraits.org/wiki/Category:Lyman_Emerson_Cole. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing