Pair of American School, New York oil on canvas portrait paintings, depicting a lady and gentleman, presumably husband and wife. The female subject is depicted attired in a black dress with lace collar and sleeves, having a jeweled broach, pin, bracelet, earrings, and a gold chain, and holding a lace handkerchief. The male subject is depicted as a bearded gentleman attired in a black coat and tie with a jeweled pin, watch chain, and ring, holding a cigar in one hand and a New York Daily Tribune newspaper in the other. They are both seated in a red velvet chair against a plain dark background. The male portrait is stamped "Goupil & Co…New York" label on verso of canvas, and the female portrait with two illegible stamps en verso of canvas. Both with old labels for the H. Leiber Company, Indianapolis en verso of frames. Both housed in matching giltwood Louis XIV-style frames with scrolling foliate decoration. Sights: 35 1/2" H x 28 1/4" W. Frames: 43" H x 36" W. Circa 1855. Note: The New-York Tribune was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker New-York Daily Tribune from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the dominant newspaper first of the American Whig Party, then of the Republican Party.

PROVENANCE: The collection of the late Fount and Ida Smothers, Thompson's Station, Tennessee.

CONDITION: Both portraits with craquelure throughout. Female portrait with a few minor areas of in-painting to lower corner dress area, and one area on the forehead. Male portrait with very slight inpainting to lower edge. Both frames with natural wood shrinkage, one with very slight losses and the other with a few areas of gilt loss to edges.