Name/Title
Portrait of an Unknown Male SitterEntry/Object ID
2005.4.1Description
Oil painting of a man sitting against a dark background. The man has brown hair and conveys a serious expression. He wears a black tie and coat with a white dress shirt. His left ring finger is adorned with a gold band as it rests on a nearby table stacked with books. An inscription on reverse reads: "Painted at Columbia, S.C. in May 1849 by W.H. Scarborough.” Faint pencil inscription on upper right corner of rear of frame reads "Anderson."Type of Painting
EaselContext
William Harrison Scarborough (1812-1871) was a native of Dover, Tennessee. After leaving his initial pursuit of studying medicine, Scarborough took to painting. His first wife, Sarah Ann Gaines, died in 1835, leaving behind Scarborough and a young son. This prompted Scarborough to officially leave Tennessee, first for Alabama before settling in Charleston in 1836.
Soon after moving to Charleston, Scarborough received his first commission to complete a portrait of the daughter of Charleston planter John Miller. In 1838, Scarborough married Miller's daughter, Miranda Eliza (1821-1903), and with the help of his father-in-law expanded his clientele. In 1843, Scarborough and his family relocated to Columbia, where they remained the rest of his life. The 1859 city directory lists him as operating out of a shop on the corner of Marion and Senate streets, yet it is believed that Scarborough also often traveled to his clients, specifically those living at rural plantation homes.
Recognized as the most prolific portrait painter in the state, Scarborough's works include portraits of senators John C. Calhoun (1782-1850) and James Chesnut, Jr. (1773-1866), Governor Thomas Bennett (1781-1865), and members of the Porcher, DuBoses, Hopkins, and Lyons families. By the time of his death in 1871, Scarborough completed over 230 portraits, most of which are recorded in his account books.
The sitter of this portrait is unknown, yet there are many theories as to his identity. While Scarborough rarely signed his pieces, his name is written on the back of the canvas, along with "Painted at Columbia, SC in May 1849."Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
William Harrison ScarboroughRole
PainterDate made
1849Place
City
Columbia, South CarolinaDimensions
Dimension Description
In frameHeight
44 inLength
38 inRelationships
Related Places
Place
City
Columbia, South Carolina
