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Style Imitating Art: Portrait of Abigail Rose by an Unknown Artist

November 14, 2022 / 20 Comments

About Style Imitating Art

Style Imitating Art is hosted by Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, Terri of MeadowTree Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as curator, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the curator by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the curator will share all of the submissions on her blog.

You don’t have to be a blogger to join! You are invited to share your images on Instagram or other social media platforms. Just be sure to tag Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee or use #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt so the hosts know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!

The Inspiration Artwork

The inspiration artwork was chosen by Terri. You can read why she picked this work here.

“Portrait of Abigail Rose” by Unknown Artist (Oil on Canvas, 1786)
Portrait of Abigail Rose
About the Artist: Unknown

An unknown artist doesn’t give me much to write about so this will be a short post. When the portrait was sold at auction in 2011, it was accompanied by a handwritten label that identified Abigail Rose and stated that the portrait was “painted by a young man from New Haven in payment for board.”

Since we have no way to identify the painter, I will share what historians do know about the subject, Miss Abigail Rose.

According to the 1800 Census of Branford, Connecticut, Abigail Rose was the first child of four children born to Justus Rose (1732-1810) and his wife Lydia (Russell). Abigail was born on September 9, 1772, in North Branford, Connecticut, which would make her 14 years old at the time she sat for this portrait. On June 14, 1792, Abigail married Beverly Monroe (1772-1803) also of North Branford. They had at least one son, named Frederick. Sometime between 1803 when Beverly died and the next census in 1810, the widow Abigail married Hezekiah B. Clark who died in 1827. 

About the Art: Portrait of Abigail Rose

This Portrait of Abigail Rose was painted in oils on canvas and measures 37.75 x 36.25 inches (95.9 x 92.1 cm). It depicts 14 year old Abigail Rose in 1786 sitting in a Queen Anne chair near a table that is scattered with a few books including a music book opened to a song titled Amity and Psalm and a Battersea patch box. She wears a locket that features a man in a red military style jacket and she holds a tiny rosebud in her hand. The asymmetrical composition of the painting is unique for its time period.

The portrait was sold with the floral enameled Battersea patch box portrayed in the painting, Abigail’s prayer book, an early 20th century handwritten label identifying Abigail in the portrait, several letters of family correspondence, and numerous family documents including deeds and receipts. 

Until it was sold at auction in 2011, the painting had never been out of Abigail Rose’s family and not been displayed publicly since 1930. According to oral history passed down through the subject’s family, the portrait was exhibited at the Old Stone House in Guilford, Connecticut, until 1930. However and wherever it was stored from 1930 until its sale in 2011, when it came to auction, the painting was well preserved in its original condition. The bidding opened at $75,000 with the estimated price set between $150,000-$250,000. However, a bidding duel broke out between Boston dealer Steven Score, on the phone with a client, and another bidder on the phone with Score winning the auction and taking possession of the Portrait of Abigail Rose for an unprecedented $1,271,000. It is only one of three folk art portraits to have surpassed the million dollar mark at auction.

Resources/References:
About My Outfit Inspired by Portrait of Abigail Rose

When I saw the portrait, my first thought went straight to this sage green skirt with white embroidered flowers. I bought it in New York City years ago and have never worn it mostly because it was a little too tight in the waist. But I couldn’t bring myself to move it out because the color and the embroidery are just so pretty. Actually, I wasn’t even sure if I had kept it when I first thought to wear it for this challenge. I was so happy that I did and finally had the opportunity to style it.

And that’s where the struggle began. This skirt is really difficult to style! I tried about 5 different tops, 3 different pairs of tights, 4 pairs of shoes, and 3 scarves until I finally settled on a rather simple (for me) outfit combination. I went with an oversized ivory sweater that I tucked in and matching tights, knee high boots in light taupe, and a floral print scarf to pull in some colors from the background of the painting. I wore an old velvet ribbon tie necklace that reminds me of the black ribbon tied around Abigail’s neck and then I snipped a tiny frozen bud from our rose bush to honor the Rose family name and also because Abigail is holding a tiny rosebud. I bet hers wasn’t frozen though! I was so excited to see about 6 or 7 rosebuds blooming in November but now the frost has moved in and my poor rosebuds will not bloom again until spring.

Despite my sartorial struggle, I did really like the outcome and was going to keep the outfit on for the rest of the day after taking these photos. But Jeff and I decided to go do some Christmas shopping and these heels will not do for any kind of walking around. They are meant to sit and look pretty! So I changed into jeans and lug sole boots instead…which I will show you on Thursday for November Neutrals with Your Own Twist.

How did I do? Would you wear an outfit like this? And where would you wear it? It’s definitely not an outfit that really suits my current lifestyle, bu I still like it!

Be sure to check out Terri’s interpretation of the artwork as well as Salazar’s take on it. And please visit Terri on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, to see her review post of outfit submissions. If you want to participate, you still have time! Terri needs your photos by Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 10:00 p.m. EST to be featured in her post. 

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.

Outfit Details: Sweater and Scarf-Old Navy / Skirt-Shelbee’s Shoppe / Boots-ShoeDazzle / Earrings, Necklace, and Tights-Old

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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