William Little

Artist Micah Williams

PeriodCirca 1819

Place MadeMatawan, New Jersey, U.S.A.

MediumPastel on paper

DimensionsSight: 25.5 × 21.5 in. (64.8 × 54.6 cm)

ClassificationsPortraits

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Jude Laspa, 2019

Object number2019.19.1

DescriptionWilliam Little, at approximately thirty-nine years of age, sits turned towards the left, with his medium brown hair brushed up into a peak at the top of his head. Little has blue eyes, prominent nose, and full lips above a dimpled chin. The subject wears a white shirt with ruffles and a white stock tied in a bow, under a black coat and waistcoat. Little poses with his right hand tucked into his coat front, with only his thumb showing. The artist has depicted Little against a muted medium blue background.
Curatorial RemarksArtist Micah Williams was born in 1782, possibly in the Hempstead area of Long Island, New York. His first career was that of a silverplater. By 1806, Williams was living and working in New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. On Christmas eve of that year he married local resident Margaret Priestley. By 1814, Williams had suffered severe financial setbacks and ended the year in debtor's prison. After his release, he began a second career, that of traveling portrait artist. Williams would continue his artistic work for the next twenty years, producing hundreds of pastel portraits and a number of oil on canvas works. In 1828, Williams and his family relocated to Clinton Street in New York City, most likely to pursue his oil portrait work. In 1832, the Williams family moved back to New Brunswick, possibly to escape the cholera epidemic that broke out in the city. Williams appears to have continued his portrait business until 1835. In June of that year, a sudden tornado ripped through downtown New Brunswick, flattening every house in a three-block radius. Among the wounded listed in a newspaper article the following day was an "M. Williams," which may have been the artist. Williams died at the age of 55. The successful farmers and businessmen and their families of Monmouth County provided Micah Williams with a steady stream of portrait commissions for more than a decade. Williams could complete a portrait like that of William Little in a single day, beginning early in the morning and finishing up at nightfall. Williams also typically backed his pastel paper sheets with secondary newspaper sheets as additional support. These newspapers often provide a general date of a particuar portrait's completion. The Little portraits were originally backed with newspaper sheets dating to 1819.NotesWilliam Little was born in Ireland in 1780. After emigrating to America in 1812, Little settled in Middletown Point (now Matawan), Monmouth County, New Jersey. He was a man of high energy and enterprise. He ran a successful dry goods store on Main Street and ran a successful area hotel. He served as the town's postmaster from 1820 to 1853. In 1830, Little founded the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, serving for many years as the institution's president. Little also somehow found time to be an officer of a successful steamboat line between Middletown Point and New York City. In the 1850 Census, little listed his occupation as "farmer," while on the 1860 Census he was noted as a retired merchant with real estate valued at $20,000 and personal estate at $40,000. Little married Deborah Scott (1792 - 1876) on January 9, 1814. The couple had five children. Little sat still long enough for Micah Williams to complete his portrait in about 1819. Micah Williams also completed a portrait of Deborah Scott Little (please see accession number 2019.19.2).

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