Artwork
The Cheney Family
The Cheney Family is an oil painting. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work depicts a six‑member household gathered within an interior space, arranged closely together.
About this work
Technique & Style
Subtle chiaroscuro defines the features, while the costumes and setting are rendered with smooth precision rather than textural bravura.
The portrait is painted in oil on canvas and measures 49 cm in height by 65 cm in width. Its handling reflects the restrained realism typical of late 18th-century American portraiture, with careful attention to facial modeling and restrained brushwork. The composition centers on the sitters' bust-length figures, arranged in a shallow, planar space that emphasizes clarity and dignity.
Subtle chiaroscuro defines the features, while the costumes and setting are rendered with smooth precision rather than textural bravura.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1795 and is attributed to an unidentified American artist of the eighteenth century. Its recorded ownership begins in Massachusetts before the work passed to Frederick W. Fuessenich of Litchfield, Connecticut. In 1954 Fuessenich sold it to the collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who donated it to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it entered the collection in 1958. The available sources record no specific inventory number or exhibition history for the work.
Legacy
The painting's inclusion in the National Gallery of Art's collection and its continued scholarly citation underscore its significance within early American portraiture. Its provenance from Massachusetts and subsequent acquisition by the National Gallery have contributed to sustained interest in the work as a representative example of 18th-century American art.
Overview
The work depicts a six‑member household gathered within an interior space, arranged closely together. The mother cradles an infant, while the father stands behind her, his hand resting on the shoulder of their son. All figures are dressed in modest attire characteristic of the eighteenth century, and the composition is framed by a darkened background that isolates the family group.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a domestic scene that emphasizes familial bonds and parental care. The tender gesture of the father’s hand on his son’s shoulder, alongside the mother’s protective hold on the baby, conveys intimacy and a sense of unity within the household, reflecting contemporary ideals of family structure and affection.
Artist & collection
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