Object Record
| Title | John Bee Holmes |
| Place of Origin | Massachusetts, Boston |
| Artist or Maker |
Copley, John Singleton (1738-1815) |
| Date | 1766 |
| Materials | Oil on Canvas. Giltwood frame. |
| Dimension Details |
Canvas Height: 29 3/4"; Width: 24 5'8" Stretcher Height: 30", Width: 25" Framed Height: 38 1/2"; Width: 33 1/2" |
| Description | This three-quarter view of John Bee Holmes (1760-1827) against a curtain backdrop was painted when the sitter was about six years old. He is shown looking at the viewer with a slight smile, his body turned to the right. A pet squirrel on a gold chain is perched on his outstretched left hand; the boy’s right hand is holding the end of the chain and is tucked into pocket of his white trousers. The rest of his outfit is comprised of a dark blue waistcoat with gilt buttons, a white collared shirt with flounced cuffs, and a black tie. The painting is signed and dated "J.S. Copley | pinx [painted by] 1766" in the lower right corner. John Bee Holmes, son of Isaac Holmes and Rebecca Bee, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, where he grew up to become a prominent lawyer. He may have been visiting relatives in Boston when Copley painted his portrait. John Singleton Copley was born in Boston, Massachusetts and became one of America’s most famous portrait painters, sought after by noted figures such as Paul Revere and Samuel Adams. In 1774 Copley relocated to England to acquire more professional training and made it his permanent home. He was eventually admitted into the Royal Academy in London. |
| Provenance |
James L. Holmes, descendent of John Bee Holmes, Charleston, South Carolina, 1873 Charles R. Holmes, descendent of John Bee Holmes, Charleston, South Carolina Macbeth Galleries, New York, New York Sold to Mrs. William A. Putnam, Brooklyn, New York, c.1905 Sold to Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York, New York, Lawrence Fleischman, Detroit, Michigan, agent Sold to H. Richard Dietrich, Jr., (1938-2007), Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, Horace Gordon, agent, 1965 Bequest to The Dietrich American Foundation, 2007 |
| Object Name | Painting |
| Object ID | 6.1.HRD.608 |
| Search Terms |
paintings |