Artwork
Frances and Charles Cowdrey
Frances and Charles Cowdrey is a watercolor work on paper by the Hudson River School artist Henry Walton. It dates from 1839 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The watercolor and ink work shows a young boy and girl identified as Frances and Charles Cowdrey, members of a prominent early 19th-century New York family. Their depiction as a paired youthful duo emphasizes themes of innocence and familial bond, characteristic of early American portraiture in the genre scene tradition.
Technique & Style
The artist combined watercolor with black ink and graphite to establish the composition, applying lead white for highlights and opaque details.
Executed in 1839, this work utilizes a mixed-media approach on off-white wove paper. The artist combined watercolor with black ink and graphite to establish the composition, applying lead white for highlights and opaque details. The resulting image depicts a boy and a girl within a genre scene, characterized by the delicate layering of transparent washes against precise linear underdrawing.
The sheet measures 28.6 cm in height and 31.4 cm in width. The integration of these distinct materials allows for a range of tonal values, from the dark definition of the ink to the luminosity provided by the white pigment.
History & Provenance
Created in 1839, this watercolor, black ink, graphite, and lead white work on off-white wove paper was executed by Henry Walton. The piece, which depicts a boy and a girl, is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art within its American Wing. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the full chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly established as 1839. It remains part of the museum's holdings as a genre scene from the early nineteenth century.
The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its accession number is not specified in the sources. It was exhibited as part of The American Wing genre scenes, reflecting its classification within the museum's American Wing collection. The piece has been part of exhibitions showcasing 19th-century American genre painting.
Overview
Created around 1839, Henry Walton’s watercolor titled Frances and Charles Cowdrey portrays a quiet domestic scene. Executed on off‑white wove paper, the work combines watercolor, black ink, graphite and lead white, and belongs to the American Wing collection.
Artist & collection
