Late Nineteenth Century American Folk Art Portrait of a Boy and Girl

1889. Very Good. Two color printed papercut portraits of a young boy and girl; both fully dressed by hand in original contemporary clothing (including buttons and beads), and with what appears to be actual curled locks of human hair. Each dressed portrait measures about 17" high and is neatly laid-down on a background color landscape print measuring about 14.5" x 19.5". In a near-contemporary wood frame, glazed (16.5" x 21.5"). The wood frame is darkened and rubbed at the edges, very good; not examined out of the frame.

The papercut portraits are printed in four colors (black, blue, green, yellow); the boy with green eyes and the girl with blue eyes. The children's curled locks, likely taken from a boy and girl, are each distinct: the boy with more tightly curled auburn-colored hair; and the girl with loosely curled lighter-colored hair. The boy is dressed in a black linen jacket with white trim and mother of pearl buttons; the girl is dressed in a white dress with fine woven silk and white lace trims. She also is wearing a bracelet of tiny glass beads. The three dimensionality of the boy and girl is enhanced by their forward looking gaze and the way in which both are positioned upon the background print (also printed in multiple colors): as standing in a garden with flowers in full bloom and mountain scenery in the distance.

An unusual custom-made American portrait, featuring fine contemporary cloth and lace work, and contemporary locks of hair skillfully styled in both tight and loose curls.