THE CHILDREN OF JOHN B. AND ANGELICA SCHUYLER CHURCH

Art

-

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

THE CHILDREN OF JOHN B. AND ANGELICA SCHUYLER CHURCH

Entry/Object ID

PM.65.867

Description

Group of four portrait miniatures in ovoid frames with bows of pinchbeck gold at top, branches below, mounted in cruciform wooden setting, banded in gold; at top, girl with wavy brown hair, long nose, painted in 3/4 face view to right, wears white low-necked dress with blue sash directly beneath bust; at left, in 3/4 face to right, boy with light closely-fitting hair, rather heavy face, wearing blue coat, white stock; at right, second boy, 3/4 view, to left, long light curly hair, heavy face, blue coat, white waistcoat and stock; at bottom, girl, 3/4 face to left, with long light curls in which are pearls, in white dress with V-neck; all against ground of blue sky. On reverse, taped labels as follow: "Children of John B. Church and Angelica Schuyler - by 'Troponelli' - student of R. Conway"; for top miniature: "Elizabeth Church/Mr. Rudolph Bunner"; for left "Phillip Church/Mr. [sic] Anna Matilda Stewart/1778-1861"; for right: "John B. Church"; for bottom: "Catherine Church/Mr. Peter B. Cruger."

Artwork Details

Medium

Oil on ivory, pinchbeck, Gold, wood (unspecified), Oil on ivory, pinchbeck, gold, wood (unspecified)

Subject Person or Organization

Elizabeth Matilda Church, Philip Church, Catherine ("Kitty") Church, John Barker Church Jr.

Collection

Philipsburg Manor Object Collection

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

John (Giovanni) Trossarelli

Attribution

Artist

Date made

1795 - 1797

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Transcription

See description

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

PCR L. 230
PCR 2001.1
BOX 246

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

11-3/4 in

Width

10-1/8 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 11 3/4 x 10 1/8 in. (29.8 x 25.7 cm)

Condition

Notes

Overall Analysis: Conservation performed May 1993 by Katherine Eirk, Bethesda, MD. See file for details.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Elizabeth Matilda Church

Notes

Subject

Person or Organization

Philip Church

Notes

Subject

Person or Organization

Catherine ("Kitty") Church

Notes

Subject

Person or Organization

John Barker Church Jr.

Notes

Subject

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Artist's name shown as "Troponelli". Conservator, Katherine Eirk, identifies artist as Giovanni (John) Trossarelli using Foskett's Miniatures Dictionary and Guide. Much genealogical data in object file. Based on communication August 12-13 2010 with James Sullivan, a scholar researching the life of Elizabeth Church: Trossarelli's teacher is probably not R. Conway but in fact Richard Cosway, the renowned miniaturist in London, husband of Maria Cosway, herself a painter and musician. Richard Cosway was known to Angelica and John Barker Church, since R. Cosway was the painter of choice of George IV at Carlton House and the Churchs were a part of that fast set. Sullivan suggests the Cosways were introduced to the Churchs by John Trumbull, painter and godfather of Catherine. Through Angelica, Jefferson was introduced to Maria Cosway with whom he had a passionate (if platonic) amour during his stay as minister to France 1785-1789. The introduction was Trumbull bringing Angelica and Maria Cosway into contact with Jefferson in Paris. Angelica had gone to Paris to bring Catherine to the Abbey de Panthemont, a school she attended on and off with the two Jefferson girls. Additional research forthcoming. [Jessa J. Krick, 8/13/2010] Please see Object File for information added to the record for this object by Danielle Funiciello, The Margaretta (Happy) Rockefeller Women's History Institute Graduate Fellow 2018 (inaugural year), who is writing about Angelica Schuyler for her dissertation. She feels the date is more like c. 1795 based upon the years the Schuyler family was in London (they were headed back to NY in 1797); connections with the Cosways (therefore with Trossarelli) and more details about the children's biographies [Jessa J. Krick, 11/14/2018].

Note Type

General Note

Note

These were a purchase for the collection in 1965, but the connection to the HHV sites, specifically to Van Cortlandt Manor, has do with the subjects being descendants of Stephanus Van Cortlandt. Stephanus married Gertrude Schuyler; Stephanus and Gertrude Van Cortlandt's daughter Cornelia married John Schuyler; Cornelia and John Schuyler were the parents of Major General Philip Schuyler, who married Catherine Van Rensselaer; Philip and Catherine Schuyler were the parents of the Angelica Schuyler who married John Church; Angelica and John Church were the parents of the subjects.

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Union Church, Storage, Shelf 14D