Beschreibung:

Samuel Jordan (New Hampshire/Massachusetts, 1804-after 1836) Portrait of a Gentleman Signed and dated "S Jordan pinxit/1831" l.c. Oil on canvas, the subject seen bust-length wearing a yellow vest, his arm draped over an upholstered sofa and holding a book, seated in from of colorful patterned wallpaper with landscape above, 24 x 20 in., in a modern molded veneered frame. Condition: Relined, retouch. Provenance: Purchased in the early 20th century by well known modernist painter/set designer Claggett Wilson (1887-1952), and the great-great-uncle of the consignor. According to the consignor, "Claggett was an avid collector of New England art and dear friends with the Guggenheims as well as many other notable people in the [early 20th century]." Literature: "Samuel Jordan: Artist, Thief, Villain," by Deborah M. Child, in Antiques and Fine Art, Summer 2009, pp. 146-153. Note: As Deborah Child tells us in her article regarding what is known of Samuel Jordan's life, he was "an all-round scoundrel." In and out of prison (where he actually earned money for painting) for much of the late 1820s and early 1830s, the Medford (Massachusetts) born artist was a talented but seemingly troubled man. He dabbled in counterfeiting (likely perfecting his trade while imprisoned in Charlestown, Child implies), dealt in contraband while incarcerated, and began his third stint in prison in 1834 after being convicted for breaking and entering a home in Acton, Massachusetts. He escaped from prison in 1836, reportedly destined for Texas, and was never heard from again.