Artwork
Little Girl with Pet Rabbit
Little Girl with Pet Rabbit is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Sturtevant J. Hamblin. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Sturtevant J.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint applied to a thin wood panel that has been covered with paper, a technique common in mid-19th-century American portraiture.
The work is executed in oil paint applied to a thin wood panel that has been covered with paper, a technique common in mid-19th-century American portraiture. The support's smooth surface allows fine brushwork that delineates the sitter's features and the soft fur of the rabbit with delicate detail. Light falls gently across the child's face, creating subtle chiaroscuro that models the head while maintaining a muted palette of earth tones.
The composition is tightly framed, emphasizing the intimate gaze and the symbolic presence of the pet. The painting was documented in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, before passing to the National Gallery of Art.
History & Provenance
The work titled Little Girl with Pet Rabbit is an 1845 oil painting on paper mounted to wood, executed by the American artist Sturtevant J. Hamblin as a portrait of a young girl accompanied by a pet rabbit. It originated in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and entered the collection of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who acquired it in 1950. The Garbisches gave the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1953, where it has remained part of the permanent collection.
A specific inventory number is not provided in the cited documentation, and the work has been included in general displays of American portraiture rather than dedicated solo exhibitions.
Overview
Sturtevant J. Hamblin's Little Girl with Pet Rabbit, painted around 1845, is an oil portrait depicting a young child with her animal companion. This work, rendered in oil on paper mounted onto wood, exemplifies a common artistic practice of the period. The composition primarily focuses on the figures, creating an intimate and direct portrayal of its subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on a young girl, dressed in attire characteristic of the mid-19th century, gently cradling a rabbit. Both figures occupy the foreground, drawing the viewer's attention directly to their interaction. This direct presentation emphasizes the bond between the child and her pet, suggesting themes of innocence and companionship, common in portraits of children from this era.
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