From the flea market to the museum: Historical watercolor discovered by Dorsey!
From the flea market to the museum: Historical watercolor discovered by Dorsey!
Philadelphia, USA - A rare watercolor of the 19th century by William H. Dorsey is now exhibited in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The undisturbed landscape from 1864 is considered Dorsey's only surviving work, although his artistic activity remains largely undocumented and no further paintings can be found in museum or auction catalogs. Dorsey, who came from a prominent black family in Philadelphia, was known for his extensive documentation of the history of the black community, such as yahoo news reported.
The small oval painting shows a quiet scene with a figure that fishing near a church and a mill. The discovery of the painting goes back to Andy Robbin, who discovered it in 2022 in a second-hand shop called New Life Thrift in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Robbins acquired the picture for only $ 10 after noticing the signature "W.H. Dorsey 1864" and divided his find on Instagram. The article aroused the interest of the digital history project in 1838 Black Metropolis, whose researchers connected the painting with William H. Dorsey. Dorsey was the son of Thomas Dorsey, a former slave who fled to Philadelphia and became a wealthy caterer. Dorsey's prosperity enabled him to pursue art and historical preservation.
historical meaning and exhibition
William H. Dorsey was a co -founder of the American Negro Historical Society and led a personal museum for African -American art and history in his home. He exhibited paintings in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Pafa) in 1867 and 1868, including a work entitled "The Fisherman", which may be identical to the painting found by Robbins, such as Whyy informed.
After the discovery of the historical meaning of the painting, Robbin decided to donate it to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania instead of selling it. The painting is now part of the exhibition on current acquisitions of the institution and underlines the importance of Dorsey's legacy for African -American art history.
Kommentare (0)