Description:

John Paradise
1783-1833
Portrait of Sarah Mac Woodruff
Oil on Poplar
New York, c 1808. Waist-up portrait of a young woman in a brown Empire dress with a white lace fichu about the breast and arms facing three-quarters left. A portion of a Doric column at the left and a red drape at the right provide the background for the sitter.

No marks but attributed to John Paradise by the Frick Art Research Library based on similarity to other images in FARL, notably those of Julie F.G. d' Anterroches, Maj. Gen. And Mrs. James Benedict, Juliet Paradise (the painter's daughter) and images with a similar column and drape background: Mrs. Isaac Ledyard, Henry Ten Broeck and Rev. John Henry Hobart of Trinity Church, NYC.

Associations and Provenance:
Sarah Mack (2/6/1790 – 12/10/1815) was the daughter of Daniel Mack, (b. 10/22/1752 in Hebron, CT) (Mack line: Orlando, Orlando, John in Salisbury, MA in 1682 and Lyme CT after 1693) and Elizabeth Towt (2/17/1764 - ?) daughter of Robart Tout (a cordwainer or shoemaker) and Mary Alstine, and was born in New York City. She was the second of seven children. Her father, Daniel Mack, had a dry goods store at 384 Pearl St. in 1803-4 and was a milliner at 386 Pearl St. in 1805-7 and at 24 Maiden Lane in 1808-9. She married George Woodruff, (Woodruff line: all from Elizabethtown NJ, Samuel Isaac, John, John, Sr. a founder of Elizabethtown, John Woodruffe, founder of Southhampton LI in 1640) a cabinetmaker working in New York City (1808-9 at 54 John St., 1810 at 37 Fair St., 1811-13 at 91 Beekman St., 1814 at 57 Broad St., 1815-16 at 57 and 59 Broad St.), on May 21, 1808. (A labeled Pembroke table by George Woodruff from 54 John St. is at Winterthur and illustrated in American Furniture, The Federal Period by Charles Montgomery, p. 351, no. 331. It has "double elliptic leaves, reeded legs with a concave neck and ring above and long balloon-shaped feet", all typical New York features.) They had two children, Elvina (1810-?) and Charles Farrington Woodruff (1812-5/26/1849 in Ithaca, NY). Sarah died in 1815 at 26 and George died in 1817-18, leaving the children as orphans. Elvina married Charles Belcher in 1830-31 with no further information. Charles married Minerva Jennet Pelton in 4/39 and they had three children: Mary Cordelia who married Leander King (no further info.) Elvina Belcher (2/8/1846 – 6/47) and Louise (6/12/1848 – 1/1/1900).
Left without a father at age 2, Louise married William McDowell Halsey in Ithaca, NY on 7/6/1875. They had four children: Charles W. (b. 7/7 1877), William McD. (b. 8/1/1879), Edward McD. (8/4/81 – 3/31/89) and Katherine Treman (8/22/86 – 1962 in Ithaca). The picture thus remained in the Ithaca area, descending from Charles Farrington Woodruff to Louise Woodruff Halsey. The picture was probably purchased from one of her four children by Donald Lord Finlayson of Ithaca, a professor of Art at Elmire College and subsequently owned by Benny Goodman and then Barbra Streisand.

Source: Christie's Auction 1189, lot 446

  • Dimensions: Sight: 26 x 21 in. (66 x 53.3 cm.), Frame: 32 1/4 x 27 in. (81.9 x 68.6 cm.)
  • Medium: Oil on Poplar
  • Condition: Frame rub along edges. Most prevalent along left edge and center top edge. Shrinkage cracks repaired to panels. U.V. light revealed light scattered retouch along crack lines and in other areas. Area of touch up in hair by curls and a few small spots on the face. Light vertical color shift most prominent through center of neck and chest. Paint and panels seem to be in good stable condition. Minor chips and abrasions to frame. Light surface wear to picture. Presents nicely and is ready to hang.

    Thank you for your interest in our upcoming sale. Please be aware that all property is sold ‘as is' and should be viewed in person or by a professional before the sale to fully assess the condition. This condition report has been prepared as a courtesy by Nye & Company specialists and should not be viewed as a substitute for physical examination by you and/or your professional advisor. Nye & Company specialists are not trained restorers/conservators, and the report is not as detailed as a comprehensive report that would be created by a professional advisor. We will do our best to make reliable observations on the work, which we hope will be helpful to you, we strongly recommend you enlist the help of a professional advisor to prepare a more complete report. While we try to photograph items as accurately as possible, please note that digital photography and images, especially when viewed through computer screens, may present colors that differ slightly from the colors of the object when viewed in person. We also wish to respectfully remind you that the Nye & Company warranties pertaining to the property are limited and set forth in our Conditions of Sale and do not extend to condition.
    PLEASE NOTE THAT AS OF JANUARY 1ST 2023 THE NYE & COMPANY BUYER'S PREMIUM HAS BEEN RAISED FROM 23% TO 25%.

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