Peale Family Paintings from the Estate of J. Ashley and Pamela Patterson Roach

Rubens Peale (American, 1784-1865)

Autograph letter signed to his daughter Mary Jane Peale on learning to paint. Riverdale: 22 April 1856. Two letters to Mary Jane Peale on the recto and verso of one sheet. The first is a 3/4 page letter in ink from Mary Jane's brother James Burd Peale, M.D.; the second is a 1 1/4 page letter in ink from her father Rubens Peale (signed “Rubens Peale”) with mention of painting and his brother Rembrandt Peale. Usual folds, a few ink smudges at end.

Provenance: Rubens Peale (1784-1865) to daughter Mary Jane Peale (1827-1902); to sister-in-law Rebecca Wilmer Peale (1838-1921) (Mary Rebecca Frisby Wilmer Peale, wife of James Burd Peale, MD); To daughters Caroline Elise and Elisabeth "Elsie" Burd Peale (1875-1931); To sister Caroline Elise Peale (1872-1943); To sister Rebecca Burd Peale Patterson (1881-1952); To granddaughter Pamela Shippen Patterson (Roach) (1943-2013); To Trust of Pamela Patterson Roach, 2013; To Trust of Joseph Ashley Roach, 2024-present

While known today as an accomplished artist from the famous Peale family of painters, due to poor eyesight Rubens Peale was late to pick up the brush. The fourth child of Charles Willson Peale, following Angelica Kauffman Peale, Raphaelle, and Rembrandt, Rubens Peale devoted most of his life to administering his father's Philadelphia Museum, the Peale Museum in Baltimore, and the New York Museum of Natural History and Science. We are greatly indebted to Rubens Peale for his meticulous record keeping of the family enterprises as well as his great efforts in advancing the study and exhibition of natural history in the United States. Following the Panic of 1837, though, his New York museum was sold off to P.T. Barnum, and in retiring to Pennsylvania as a country gentleman, Rubens finally tried his hand at painting. Rubens enjoyed much tutelage from his daughter Mary Jane Peale (1827-1902), the last Peale family member to paint professionally. In this rare letter from Rubens to Mary Jane, his early efforts at painting are discussed with several mentions of his highly accomplished artist brother, Rembrandt:

"Charles says that Rembrandt thinks tin best to paint fruit on, but I found it too smooth to take the paint, if the surface could be made rather rough it would be better to work on. He told your mother that it could be roughened by some sort of acid but she forgot what he used ... I have not had time to open the box containing the canvas, supposing it is all safe. I feel anxious to know Remb. & Harriet's opinion of my early attempt at painting, perhaps by the time I have had as many years experience in the art as Rembrandt has had that I might be a tolerable artist in still life or fruit painting, young beginners must have patience and also much practice ... Your affectionate father Rubens Peale."

Please see a very fine example of Rubens' still life painting in this collection, titled Still Life with Flowers in a White Compote and Fruit, painted on tin per Rembrandt's advice circa 1857.