Tennessee oil on canvas portrait painting of a young woman, possibly by William Harrison Scarborough (TN/SC, 1812-1871). The woman wears a head covering adorned with flowers and smiles as she looks directly at the viewer. With her left hand she marks her place in a red book and her right hand is placed on her chair's armrest. Behind her a red curtain has been pulled back to reveal a pastoral view with a distant mountain range and sunset. Housed in a later carved giltwood frame. Canvas: 36 1/4" H x 30" W. Frame: 42 1/2" H x 36" W. Note: A painting depicting a mother and child in a domestic setting apparently by the same hand was in a private Bristol, Tennessee collection in recent years. That painting was featured in an article in the Bristol Herald Courier and attributed, likely erroneously, to Samuel Shaver. Regardless of attribution, the two paintings are most likely the work of the same skilled artist active in East Tennessee or the surrounding region during the middle of the nineteenth century. W. H. Scarborough is a possible but not conclusive attribution.

PROVENANCE: Private Hawkins County, Tennessee collection.

CONDITION: Light, scattered craquelure throughout. With overpainting or later varnish to several areas on the upper edge of the chair, the largest being 2" x 1 1/2"; and overpainting to curtain to left of sitter's head, 3" x 1"; to sitter's forehead, 3" x 1 1/2"; and cheeks, 1 1/2" x 1/2". 1" tear below book has been repaired and overpainted. Uneven cleaning to upholstered area of chair. Frame has scattered gilt loss and hairline cracks in corners.