Watercolor on ivory, signed "W. Blanchard" and dated "1841" to lower right, a fine rendering depicting the handsome gentleman in black coat and tie, the paper backing with ink inscription: "William Boyd. Age 24 / taken. Oct 1841 by / W.Blanchard / at Towanda Bradford Co. / Pa," presented behind convex glass in a leather and velvet bifold case, with ormolu mat stamped "I PRICE" to verso.

Ivory size 2 7/8 x 2 5/8 in.; case 4 x 3 1/2 in.

Private Collection, Florida

In addition to painting portrait miniatures, Washington Blanchard worked as a lithographic artist of portraits for Senefelder Lithographic Company and Pendleton's Lithography of Boston. He exhibited miniatures at the Athenaeum Gallery in Boston in 1835-1836, and made copies of paintings there. Although Blanchard resided in Boston most of his life, he traveled to Richmond in winter of 1838-1839, Philadelphia in 1841 (aligning with the date of this portrait), Charleston in January 1844, and Hartford in 1849-1850. Blanchard painted miniatures of important statesmen such as John C. Calhoun (ca. 1830-1835, New-York Historical Society), Henry Clay (1842, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.) and Silas Wright Jr. (1842, New York Historical Society). In addition, Blanchard's works are included in the Metropolitan Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, as well as various private collections.
Literature: American Portrait Miniatures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, by Carrie Rebora Barratt and Lori Zabar, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, pg. 190.

Good estate condition; no signs of painted restoration under UV light; light minor wear to case, with later ink inscription to exterior.

$1,000 - 3,000