Description:

John George Brown
(1831 - 1913)
Peek-a-boo
Oil on canvas.
1869. Inscribed LR: J.G. (illegible)/1869.

Born into a poor family in Durham, England, John George Brown earned a reputation as one of 19th-century America's most skilled painters of children, especially entrepreneurial, cheerful street urchins who earned a pittance as boot blacks, newspaper vendors, etc. In some circles, he was dubbed the 'Boot Black Raphael' because of the glowing faces of his child figures and his skill of execution. His paintings of these sympathy-arousing children were so popular in a Victorian era of increased industrialization that he became rich from painting sales as well as royalties from lithographs.

Brown showed early drawing talent but was discouraged by his lawyer father who insisted that he learned a trade, so he apprenticed for seven years with a glass cutter at Newcastle-On-Tyne. He worked at this trade in Edinburgh, Scotland and attended the School of the Royal Scottish Academy under Robert Scott Lauder.

At age 22, he went to London and earned a living painting portraits. Inspired by a music hall performer singing about the fascination of American life, he emigrated to Brooklyn and supported himself as a glass cutter at the Flint Glass Works in Brooklyn. His designs so impressed his employer that he helped Brown study in New York with miniaturist Thomas Cummings whose daughter Brown married.

He studied art at night at the National Academy of Design, and in May, 1856, rented his first studio, which was located in Brooklyn. In 1860, he began painting his signature portraits and juvenile figures, and in 1863, he was elected a member of the National Academy of Design. He also served as a teacher at the Academy where his classes were very popular.
To escape the pressure of his buying public and pursue other talents, he painted landscapes, some of them rural scenes including the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Hudson River Valley with treatment of light and shadow, in the style of Albert Bierstadt and Worthington Whittredge. One of his exhibition venues was the California State Fair in 1881 and 1884.

Brown's works are found in numerous museum collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY; Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA; Newark Museum of Art, Newark, NJ; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL; Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago, IL; Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH; University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie, WY; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT; and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; as well as many important private collections.

13 1/4" x 9 1/4"

  • Condition: Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to the client. We are offering our professional opinion. We attempt to submit condition reports in the description. However, the absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Antique Helper, Inc., et al shall have no responsibility for any error or omission regarding an item's condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unlike most auction companies, we provide seamless shipping services with one convenient invoice and take care of all of the shipping arrangements. We do this to make the auction buying experience more pleasurable and satisfying for our valued customers.

SMALL ITEMS: We do our own packaging and use USPS, UPS, FEDEX or Pakmail to ship. We encourage customers to email or call us for shipping estimates prior to the day of the auction. After you are the successful bidder we will send you an invoice which will include your shipping charges. For your protection, full insurance is required and will be included in your charges. We strive to provide you with a professional job at a reasonable price. When your item is shipped you will be furnished with online tracking information for your package.

OVERSIZE ITEMS OR SPECIAL PACKAGING: To streamline the process for our customers, we will contact the shippers after the auction, add the shipping charges to your invoice and bill you for the entire balance due. You will then pay Antique Helper and we will arrange for pickup and delivery of your auction items with the preferred shipper below.

You can contact the shipper below for a pre-auction estimate on large items:

Pakmail: Phone: 317-841-0056 or by email: [email protected]

June 16, 2012 10:00 AM EDT
Indianapolis, IN, US

Ripley Auctions

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 23% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $199 $10
$200 $999 $25
$1,000 $1,999 $50
$2,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 + $500