American School Portrait of a Lady

Attributed to Randall Palmer (1807-1845)
Lived/Active: New York state
Unsigned, ca. 1835-1840
Oil on Eastern white pine panel
28 ¼” x 23 ¾”, 36 ¼” x 32 ¼” (frame)
Over-all in excellent condition, recently cleaned (conservation report available upon request), housed in the original mahogany veneer frame.
Provenance: Strathmore Hill Art and Antiques, Syracuse, NY.
This elegant likeness of a young lady exhibits many attributes of the work of Randall Palmer. The sitter’s large, luminous eyes, smooth sculptural skin tones, and well-painted dress all contribute to the piece’s visual appeal. The lady is very finely dressed, wrapped in a black and white shawl meant to evoke an ermine’s patterned pelt. Her hair is perfectly coiffed, and she is framed by a flattering landscape and a classic red curtain. Unusual for the time, it is painted on board.

Born in 1807 in Oneida County, Palmer was the second of nine children. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Spafford where, by 1816, his father had acquired a large farm at the southern tip of Skaneateles Lake. In 1825, at 18 years old, Randall married Meribah Ripley and the two began traveling around the state with Randall working as a portrait painter. He advertised in Syracuse, Penn Yann, and Seneca Falls, where he settled for a time before coming to Auburn. While in Seneca Falls he painted several portraits of the Van Rensselaer family and took on students to supplement his income.

By 1838 he was advertising in Auburn. In December of that year the Auburn Journal and Advertiser wrote a piece recommending a visit to his rooms on Beach’s Block to view his portraits. The reporter specifically says that Palmer’s portrait of Rev. J. Hopkins “is done to the life, as true a specimen of skill in imitating nature as is often seen.”