Apr 14, 2026 10:00 EST
An American Story: Paintings / Peale Family Paintings / Historic Hudson Valley / Silver & Furniture
34
Mary Jane Peale
Peale Family Paintings from the Estate of J. Ashley and Pamela Patterson Roach
American, 1827-1902
Portrait of Phillis, 1849
Oil on paper laid to canvas
13 1/4 x 12 3/4 inches
Provenance:
The artist
Gifted from artist to niece Caroline Elise Peale (1872-1943)
Sister Rebecca Burd Peale Patterson (1881-1952)
Granddaughter Pamela Shippen Patterson (Roach) (1943-2013)
Trust of Pamela Patterson Roach, 2013
Trust of Joseph Ashley Roach, 2024-present
Literature:
The Selected Papers of Charles Willson Peale and His Family, edited by Lilian B. Miller, Yale University Press, no. 214.
Exhibited:
Baltimore, MD, The Peale Museum, Seven Painting Peales From Charles Willson to Mary Jane, Oct. 3 to Nov. 28, 1971. Loan extended through 1974.
Notes:
Family records show Philis was a slave of the Patterson family, who provided a farm near Pottsville, PA to Rubens’ family when the Peale’s New York Museum failed after the panic of 1837. Phillis helped Eliza Patterson in New York and continued to help the young family at the farm. Mary Jane Peale’s diaries begin in 1847, where she recorded her hope to become a professional artist and hint at the close relationship she had with Phillis by that time. Phillis lived the rest of her life at the farm with Rubens, Eliza, and Mary J. Peale. It is unclear when she was emancipated, but it is known that she chose to remain with the family until her death in 1854. The family honored Phillis with her burial in a whole lot and marked grave at the United Presbyterian Cemetery, Pottsville, PA. Mary Jane Peale’s diaries record Phillis’ Christian baptism in 1848.
This is a very early painting by Mary Jane Peale, done before she dedicated herself to painting professionally on her 25th birthday in 1852. Mary's diaries, now in the collection of the American Philosophical Society, record her painting Phillis' portrait. Two different accounts by Mary Jane Peale of the painting describe it as "Phillis my first picture from life" and "A small portrait of Phillis..., aged about eighty, very easily done & pronounced excellent, Fall 1849 at the farm."
The portrait was originally backed with mattress ticking. Fragments of the ticking remain from when it was relined in 1955, and the original ticking is included in the lot
Notes
We would like to thank Elise Peale Patterson Gelpi and Tina Roach for their kind assistance in cataloguing this lot.
Framed 16 3/4 x 16 1/2 inches
Sold for $349,750
Estimated at $5,000 - $8,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
Peale Family Paintings from the Estate of J. Ashley and Pamela Patterson Roach
American, 1827-1902
Portrait of Phillis, 1849
Oil on paper laid to canvas
13 1/4 x 12 3/4 inches
Provenance:
The artist
Gifted from artist to niece Caroline Elise Peale (1872-1943)
Sister Rebecca Burd Peale Patterson (1881-1952)
Granddaughter Pamela Shippen Patterson (Roach) (1943-2013)
Trust of Pamela Patterson Roach, 2013
Trust of Joseph Ashley Roach, 2024-present
Literature:
The Selected Papers of Charles Willson Peale and His Family, edited by Lilian B. Miller, Yale University Press, no. 214.
Exhibited:
Baltimore, MD, The Peale Museum, Seven Painting Peales From Charles Willson to Mary Jane, Oct. 3 to Nov. 28, 1971. Loan extended through 1974.
Notes:
Family records show Philis was a slave of the Patterson family, who provided a farm near Pottsville, PA to Rubens’ family when the Peale’s New York Museum failed after the panic of 1837. Phillis helped Eliza Patterson in New York and continued to help the young family at the farm. Mary Jane Peale’s diaries begin in 1847, where she recorded her hope to become a professional artist and hint at the close relationship she had with Phillis by that time. Phillis lived the rest of her life at the farm with Rubens, Eliza, and Mary J. Peale. It is unclear when she was emancipated, but it is known that she chose to remain with the family until her death in 1854. The family honored Phillis with her burial in a whole lot and marked grave at the United Presbyterian Cemetery, Pottsville, PA. Mary Jane Peale’s diaries record Phillis’ Christian baptism in 1848.
This is a very early painting by Mary Jane Peale, done before she dedicated herself to painting professionally on her 25th birthday in 1852. Mary's diaries, now in the collection of the American Philosophical Society, record her painting Phillis' portrait. Two different accounts by Mary Jane Peale of the painting describe it as "Phillis my first picture from life" and "A small portrait of Phillis..., aged about eighty, very easily done & pronounced excellent, Fall 1849 at the farm."
The portrait was originally backed with mattress ticking. Fragments of the ticking remain from when it was relined in 1955, and the original ticking is included in the lot
Notes
We would like to thank Elise Peale Patterson Gelpi and Tina Roach for their kind assistance in cataloguing this lot.
Framed 16 3/4 x 16 1/2 inches
Peale Family Paintings from the Estate of J. Ashley & Pamela Patterson Roach
Small touches of inpainting scattered throughout, with a larger amount along the top edge.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: An American Story: Paintings / Peale Family Paintings / Historic Hudson Valley / Silver & Furniture, Apr 14, 2026
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Successful Auction of American Paintings & Prints on April 14, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Featuring Peale Family Paintings from the Estate of J. Ashley & Pamela Patterson Roach
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And Property Deaccesssioned from Historic Hudson Valley
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Part of the Two-Day An American Story Auction Celebrating Our Nation's Semiquincentennial
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY – With spirited competition from collectors, art advisors and institutions, Doyle’s sale of American Paintings & Prints on April 14, 2026 achieved exceptional results. Part of the highly-successful two-day An American Story auction celebrating the nation’s Semiquincentennial, the sale featured fine examples of portraiture, still lifes, nautical scenes, and Hudson River, Western and regional landscapes, as well as a selection of Audubon prints.
Peale Family Paintings from the Estate of J. Ashley & Pamela Patterson Roach
A special section of the sale presented Peale Family Paintings from the Estate of J. Ashley & Pamela Patterson Roach, highlighted by an 1849 portrait of Phillis, an enslaved woman, by Mary Jane Peale (1827-1902) that achieved $349,750. This remarkable collection comprised works by three generations of the Peale family of artists. Read More
N. C. Wyeth’s Final Mural Project
A large-scale mural by N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) titled Crows in Winter from 1941 realized a strong $117,340 against an estimate of $80,000-120,000. In 1940, Wyeth was commissioned to paint a series of murals for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s New York headquarters. The New England Series comprised nearly twenty monumental paintings depicting the spirit of New England. Property from a Prominent Corporate Collection, Crows in Winter was one of four works in the series representing the seasons.
Charles Courtney Curran
A lovely work by American Impressionist artist Charles Courtney Curran (1861–1942) from 1908 achieved an exceptionally strong $102,100, many times its estimate of $15,000-25,000. Highly skilled at rendering sunlight, Curran’s signature works often show graceful female figures in landscapes, such as the scene depicted in A Breezy Day.
Property Deaccessioned from Historic Hudson Valley
Among the artworks was property deaccessioned by Historic Hudson Valley. Founded in 1951, Historic Hudson Valley is a 501(c)(3) organization that interprets and promotes historic landmarks of national significance in the Hudson Valley.
Session II: American Silver, Furniture & Decorative Arts / April 15
A second session of the An American Story auction on Wednesday, April 15 offered American Silver, Furniture & Decorative Arts including Property Deaccessioned from Historic Hudson Valley. Read More
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
