Portrait of Mrs. John Lawrence, Ammi Phillips

Exhibition Label: "Corpus," Apr-2012, Kate Meyer Although Ammi Phillips is credited today as a folk artist who produced hundreds of portraits of men, women, and children in New England during the early 19th century, his name and reputation has only been known to scholars since the late 1960s. His biblical given name, Ammi, means “my people” in Hebrew, and Phillips was an incredibly popular portraitist for his American compatriots. Although Mrs. Lawrence’s pose, clothing, and placement resemble many other portraits Phillips produced during this period, his careful depiction of her lace collar, hat, and prim expression help the viewer to know that Mrs. Lawrence was a real person rather than a pictorial type. Phillips was likely working in New York when this portrait was painted and Mrs. Lawrence was not an immediate relation to Amos Lawrence of Massachusetts, the founder of Lawrence, Kansas. Archive Label: Early colonial painting in the United States was devoted primarily to portraiture. Pragmatic colonists fournd most art frivolous and regarded English portraits as the accepted model to record family genealogy, document social standing, or demonstrate religious piety. Most of these early paintings were done by itinerant painters - limners - considered more craftsmen than artists. They made no attempt at perspective or elaborate drapery. These were early formula painters, so called for their use of standard poses and backgrounds. Ammi Phillips distinguised himself among early folk art painters. He is most associated with rural New England. Phillips is known for his emphasis on detailing of lace or ornamentation around the neck and head, dark backgrounds, and luminescent faces. These portraits exemplify this style.