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Source Description
This painting was unknown until offered as a gift to the museum and did not appear in the Miller catalogue raisonné compiled by the Walters and the Amon Carter Museum in 1981. In the foreground, the woman is "cording a bale of dried meat," while in the background, Captain William Drummond Stewart, identified by his broad rimmed hat, addresses a male figure. It was Miller's practice to repeat his subjects for many clients. This work, however, is almost unique. There is a pen- and ink- sketch in a private collection that came assembled for Stewart. Otherwise, the only other variant is Walters 37.1940.153. What is atypical about this painting is that it is very thinly painted on artist's board rather than canvas. Pentimenti in the sky have become visible, allowing the viewer to determine how the artist developed the composition. Miller has apparently considered inserting a tree as he had in the other Walters watercolor, and then rejected the idea. Since this painting has not been identified with any listing in the artist's account book, it could be an early work dating from before 1842.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
8583
label
Scene of Trappers and Indians
core
obj
dtoType
drawing
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
8583
sourceUrl
contentType
drawing
stage
normalized
title
Scene of Trappers and Indians
description
This painting was unknown until offered as a gift to the museum and did not appear in the Miller catalogue raisonné compiled by the Walters and the Amon Carter Museum in 1981. In the foreground, the woman is "cording a bale of dried meat," while in the background, Captain William Drummond Stewart, identified by his broad rimmed hat, addresses a male figure. It was Miller's practice to repeat his subjects for many clients. This work, however, is almost unique. There is a pen- and ink- sketch in a private collection that came assembled for Stewart. Otherwise, the only other variant is Walters 37.1940.153. What is atypical about this painting is that it is very thinly painted on artist's board rather than canvas. Pentimenti in the sky have become visible, allowing the viewer to determine how the artist developed the composition. Miller has apparently considered inserting a tree as he had in the other Walters watercolor, and then rejected the idea. Since this painting has not been identified with any listing in the artist's account book, it could be an early work dating from before 1842.
provenance
Louise Lunger Meyers, early 20th century, by inheritance; Bernadette McMenamin and Michele Whelan, by inheritance (executors of Meyers estate); Walters Art Museum, 2006, by gift.
date
before 1842
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Painting & Drawing
paintings
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
17.8
height
30.5
dimensionsRaw
H: 7 x W: 12 in. (17.78 x 30.48 cm);framed: H: 14 1/2 x W: 19 1/4 x D: 2 1/4 in. (36.83 x 48.9 x 5.72 cm)
Source extras
RelatedObjects
22914
med
oil on artist's board
creator_ids
4486
collection_ids
EAN
exhibition_ids
none
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
c27ec254bb5517b3