Who painted Eliza Wells?

Eliza Wells was painted by Abram Ross Stanley in 1840.

Where can I see Eliza Wells?

Eliza Wells is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Eliza Wells?

Eliza Wells is associated with American Folk Art.

Can I buy a print of Eliza Wells?

Museum-quality prints of Eliza Wells are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Eliza Wells by Abram Ross Stanley (1840)

Inscription: Inscribed:on reverse, surrounded by an elaborate painted cartouche (no longer visible, photograph in object file [1955.11.11] in NGA curatorial records): (18) Miss Eliza, Wells AE 21 (40) / A.R. Stanley, Onedia; on back of frame, in pencil: painted by / Hill? [sic] Oneida N Y …

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a portrait, the work belongs to the genre that captures an individual's likeness for documentation and status display.

The painting presents Eliza Wells as the depicted sitter, rendered in oil on canvas in 1840.

As a portrait, the work belongs to the genre that captures an individual's likeness for documentation and status display.

The sources record the piece as a portrait from Albany, New York, later acquired by the National Gallery of Art, indicating its recognized artistic and historical relevance. No specific iconographic symbols or attributes are mentioned in the available documentation, and the meaning of the work is tied to its function as a formal representation of the sitter within 19th‑century American portraiture.

Technique & Style

Created in 1840, this portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 64.1 cm in height and 59.6 cm in width. As a painted portrait, the piece utilizes traditional materials characteristic of mid-19th-century American portraiture.

The application of oil on canvas allows for the specific textural and chromatic qualities associated with the genre during this period.

History & Provenance

Eliza Wells is an oil-on-canvas portrait painted by Abram Ross Stanley in 1840. According to the National Gallery of Art records, the work was originally associated with Albany, New York. In 1950, the painting was purchased by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who later gave it to the National Gallery of Art in 1955.

The portrait has since remained in the NGA collection in Washington, D.C., where it is documented with dimensions of 64.1 by 59.6 centimeters.

The provenance chain thus moves from its Albany, New York origin, through the 1950 Garbisch purchase, to the 1955 gift that brought it into the National Gallery of Art's holdings.

The painting is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces back to Albany, New York, before it was acquired in 1950 by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. The couple subsequently donated the work to the museum in 1955.

No specific exhibition history or inventory accession numbers are provided in the available records.

Context

Eliza Wells is an 1840 oil on canvas portrait attributed to American artist Abram Ross Stanley. The work measures 64.1 × 59.6 cm and depicts a subject whose identity remains unidentified. It entered the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., via the 1955 gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who had acquired it in 1950.

The painting is catalogued in the Gallery’s collection as a representative example of mid‑nineteenth‑century American portraiture, reflecting the demand for formal likenesses among Northeastern elites. Its inclusion in a major national museum has made it a point of reference in scholarship on early American portraiture and the development of genre conventions in the period.

Overview

Abram Ross Stanley's oil painting, Eliza Wells, created in 1840, presents a formal portrait of a woman. The sitter is depicted in elaborate attire, her steady gaze engaging the viewer. Behind her, a painted cityscape unfolds, featuring a river and boats.

The artwork is further framed by a decorative border adorned with vibrant birds, flowers, and swirling motifs, contributing to its overall presentation.