American. <em>Pierre Van Cortlandt</em>, ca. 1731. Oil on linen, 57 x 41 9/16 in. (144.8 x 105.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 41.151 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 41.151_PS6.jpg)

American. Pierre Van Cortlandt, ca. 1731. Oil on linen, 57 x 41 9/16 in. (144.8 x 105.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 41.151 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 41.151_PS6.jpg)

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How much of the rationale for commissioning a painting such as this was to establish a claim to the tradition of European wealthy families?

Yes, the rationale behind many of the paintings in that room of American Identities was to establish (or reinforce) an American elite class by using the art styles and symbolism of wealthy European families or European royalty.

You may have already read this in the label, but "The artist based the backdrop, and details such as the pose and the dog, on British royal portrait prints that decorated colonial homes as museum posters do today." There were no art academies or museums in the colonies at that early date, so artists could only study and learn from reproductions. Most of them were self-taught.

Thank you. It's interesting to consider how much of the impetus to commission art was an economic claim versus trying to show that the subject (or his child) wasn't a backwoods hick as his European trading partners might have thought.

Proving oneself to the Europeans was likely also an impetus. If you could look wealthy/sophisticated/smart in portraits displayed for your trading partners, you can essentially "fake it till you make it"!

Many visitors find the rough or almost self-trained style of depicting the figures in these early American portraits to be endearing. It is interesting that so much emphasis was on the setting, clothing, and symbolism, but the painters hadn't quite figured out how to paint the human form or faces realistically yet.

The wall text about the portrait of Pierre van Cortlandt links the work to British portraits. Would the vase with blue figures (and filled with flowers) also connect it to Dutch painting tradition?

Great question! The painter who created this work was looking at British paintings and would have used prints of British paintings as sources of compositions, costumes, and poses.

Many early American and immigrant artists were looking back to Europe for inspiration and to learn painting. Many artists active at this time were self-trained or believed that they needed to travel to Europe to learn painting.

The artist based this portrait on a print--a reproduction of a painting of a very young nobleman by the English artist Godfrey Kneller. Kneller's original portrait included flowers in a silver urn, which this unknown artist reinterpreted as Asian porcelain. Are there any other details in the painting that make you question the painting traditions that could be influencing the artist?

I was struck by the flowers - they made me think of Dutch still life paintings. And also the sitter's Dutch heritage.

Very interesting observations! Although based on a British portrait, including the pose of van Cortlandt, the style of clothing would have been the type of Dutch clothing known at the time.

Thanks!

Tell me more.

Hi there! The boy in this painting, Pierre van Cortlandt, grew up to be an important figure in New York History. He assisted in writing the first state constitution and was descended from some of the first Dutch settlers in the area.

The unknown American artist was likely self-taught from images sent from Europe. In this particular painting, comparisons can be made to prints depicting young British nobility (and their dogs!).

Pierre Van Cortlandt

American Art

On View: American Art Galleries, 5th Floor, Witness

The artist of these full-length portraits based the elaborate backdrops, and details such as the poses and the animals, on British royal portrait prints (see illustration) that decorated colonial homes. The pictorial link between the Van Cortlandt brothers, who were born into one of the city’s wealthiest Dutch families, and British nobility suggested their great promise. Although information about John, who died in his twenties, is scarce, Pierre inherited vast properties north of Manhattan and became an ardent patriot during the Revolutionary War.

CULTURE American

MEDIUM Oil on linen

DATES ca. 1731

DIMENSIONS 57 x 41 9/16 in. (144.8 x 105.5 cm) frame: 63 3/4 x 48 1/2 x 3 1/4 in. (161.9 x 123.2 x 8.3 cm) (show scale)

SIGNATURE Unsigned

COLLECTIONS American Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 41.151

CREDIT LINE Dick S. Ramsay Fund

PROVENANCE Ca. 1731, commissioned from the artist by Philip Van Cortlandt of Croton-on-Hudson, NY; 1748, inherited from Philip Van Cortlandt by Pierre Van Cortlandt of Croton-on-Hudson; 1814, inherited form Pierre Van Cortlandt by Pierre Van Cortlandt II of Croton-on-Hudson; 1848, inherited from Pierre Van Cortlandt II by Pierre Van Cortlandt III of Croton-on-Hudson; 1884, inherited from Pierre Van Cortlandt III by Ann Van Cortlandt of Croton-on-Hudson; 1941, inherited from Ann Van Cortlandt by Catherine Van Cortlandt Mathews; January 16, 1941, purchased from Catherine Van Cortlandt Mathews by the Brooklyn Museum.

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MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in American Art Galleries, 5th Floor, Witness

CAPTION American. Pierre Van Cortlandt, ca. 1731. Oil on linen, 57 x 41 9/16 in. (144.8 x 105.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 41.151 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 41.151_PS6.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 41.151_PS6.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2012

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