The Burnish Sisters

The Burnish Sisters was painted by William Matthew Prior in 1854 in oil on canvas. The painting's early provenance is uncertain: the original Garbisch accession sheet records that the work was found in New York State, while a second sheet, supplied when it was transferred to the National Gallery, lists its origin as Massachusetts. The documented ownership chain begins with A. T. Sullivan of an unspecified city.

The Downtown Gallery in New York held the painting from 1931 to 1945, selling it in 1945 through F. Valentine Dudensing as agent to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. The Garbisches later bequeathed the work to the National Gallery of Art in 1980, where it remains in the collection.

The painting The Burnish Sisters (oil on canvas, 1854) is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the museum’s collection in 1980 as a bequest from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who had acquired it in 1945 through the New York dealer F. Valentine Dudensing. The work’s provenance notes an earlier finding in New York State, though a later accession sheet records its origin as Massachusetts. Exhibition records in the available documentation do not list any specific shows dedicated to the piece, and it remains part of the gallery’s permanent holdings.

The Burnish Sisters, an oil on canvas painting from 1854, is attributed to American folk artist William Matthew Prior. This work exemplifies Prior's characteristic focus on portraiture, particularly of families and children. It presents a quiet domestic scene, depicting two women, presumably the sisters, amidst a setting rich with floral elements.

The painting's composition and execution reflect the artistic sensibilities of its era, offering insight into mid-19th-century American portraiture.

The painting portrays two women, identified as the Burnish Sisters, within a serene environment. Dressed in period attire, their gentle expressions contribute to the work's tranquil atmosphere. The composition integrates a still-life arrangement, prominently featuring a flower, alongside other greenery that frames the figures.

This blend of portraiture and botanical elements suggests an emphasis on domesticity and perhaps the natural world, common themes in 19th-century art.

William Matthew Prior was an American folk artist recognized for his portraits, often depicting families and children. While The Burnish Sisters aligns with his typical subject matter, its creation in 1854 places it within a period influenced by broader artistic currents. Although Prior was an American artist, the work's stylistic elements and thematic concerns resonate with aspects of the British Romanticism movement, which emphasized emotion, nature, and the individual.