Two Children of the Applegate Family

Periodca. 1858

MediumOil on canvas

Dimensions28.4 × 35.4 in. (72.1 × 89.9 cm)

MarkingsStamped on the reverse, "S. N. Dodge's / Artist & Painter's / Supply Store / 189 Chatham cor / of Oliver St. / N. York."

SignedSigned lower left, "E Mario / [illegible]."

ClassificationsPortraits

Credit LineBequest of Mrs. Maude Applegate Smith Moreau, 1964

Object number1983.542

DescriptionPortrait of two children posed in front of their home and farmstead. A blonde-haired boy, standing right of center, wears black trousers, a dark red velvet short sleeve jacket with white collar and cuffs, and black shoes. A younger blonde girl left of center is seated. She wears a short sleeve gold dress with white collar and cuffs, white pantaloons, and brown shoes. The girl is holding a bunch of lilies, and has a long-haired brown dog at her feet. She points to a bunch of lilacs being offered to her by the boy. He holds her hat, festooned with ribbons, in his left hand. The children are depicted in a landscape setting, with a tree and bush immediately behind the girl on the left. In the right distance is a five bay, two story house with green shutters, a columned porch, and end chimneys. Before the house is a horse-drawn carriage with several people around it. In the distance between the two children is a farm yard with red-painted barns, a corn crib, a long shed, a number of animals, and two farm hands. A scarlet tanager is perched on a branch of the tree behind the little girl. A colorful sky with dark clouds to the right completes the composition.
Curatorial RemarksThe Applegate family’s affluence is readily apparent in the children’s finery, notably William’s maroon velvet jacket and his sister’s pale yellow dress, both garments trimmed with lace. As was typical of child portraits of the era, Mario adds a symbolic element to the image by including a bouquet of freshly picked lilies in the little girl’s hand––an allusion to her nickname as well as an indication of her fragility. His stylized treatment of form, attention to detail, and use of bright, clear colors imbue the scene with a pleasing decorative quality that––along with the animated poses and identifiable setting––make this one of the most engaging examples of child portraiture in the Association’s collection. Samuel N. Dodge, paint and artist supplier in New York City, was located at 189 Chatham from 1829 to 1864.NotesA supposed “exile” from his native Russia, Alessandro E. Mario was one of several provincial portraitists working in and around Monmouth County during the 1850s and 1860s. His clientele included Edward T. R. Applegate (1831–1915), a respected farmer, businessman, and public figure who commissioned this double portrait of his first two children, Willard (1854–1873) and Lydia (“Lillie”) R. (b. 1856). Accompanied by a playful dog, the siblings are shown in a picturesque outdoor setting that includes a view of the Applegate residence, an elegant, two-story Federal-style structure built about 1823 that still stands on Etra Road in East Windsor Township, Mercer County. Portions of the estate can be seen in the background, along with some tiny figures that provide a sense of scale. Edward Taylor Riggs Applegate (1831 - 1915) married first to Amanda FitzAllen Reed (1833 - 1858). They had two children depicted in the painting, Willard Applegate (1854 - 1873) and Lillian Reed "Lillie" Applegate (b. 1856) who married Edward D. Stokes (b. 1857) and had no children. Edward Applegate married a second time to Lavinia Ely (1842 - 1915). They became the parents of ten children. Their daughter Mary H. Applegate (1866 - 1946) married Daniel P. Smith (1859 - 1840). Their daughter, Maude Applegate Smith (1890 - 1964) married William Rhea Moreau (1891 - 1964).

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