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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: 2x4misc on December 20, 2012, 08:51:46 AM
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Team,
Here I am again with another pick found in Southern Virginia. If is a huge 30" x 26" what appears to be an canvas oil painting of FDR. I say appears to be since there are many cracks on the canvas from the paint that can be felt but so not feel the typical brush strokes one would feel if it were an oil paint. It is cool that it uses deco coloring (green/blue shading on the face). Has anyone come across one of these before? I was thinking it may be an early print used in a campaign office in the 30's.
Thoughts?
Ray
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Post a pic of the back please !! How is it attached to the backing ??
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This is the back. Typical old canvas secured / laid in frame.
Does this help?
Ray
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It does help !! Is that a signature in lower right corner, front ??
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Are you sure that is FDR? I have been looking through hundreds of portraits and the hairline does not look right. That is a fairly young portrait and he seems receded more than in others. Is it marked with his name? I do not mean to be skeptical. It could just be the artists conception. See the photo of him here http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/joygeorge/Magnets/magnetFDR.jpg
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Mart: no writing or signatures anywhere.
FrogPatch: It is supposed to be him. There were some signed letters and FDR ephemera (not related to this piece) at the place.
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After comparing the two,, I agree with Frogpatch,,hairline is different, eyebrows are different, ears are different,,,I don`t think its him !!
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Hmmm, the more I look at other pics, I am close to being convinced that it may not be him. A startling resemblance but some distinguishing features indicate that it not him. Too funny. I have an inquiry with the FDR Library and will see if they provide an opinion. Thanks for looking at it.
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Please let us know what they say !! Through the eyes it does look like him but there are so many other places that don`t match !!
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This is no more a pic of FDR...than flying in the air....and if you want us to find out who it actually is....well..think Pin...and a very big Haystack..... ;D
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Here's what I received from the FDR Library:
Dear Mr. Brennan:
This is in response to your e-mail of December 19, 2012 regarding a large, framed image of Franklin D. Roosevelt you have.
From the photo links you provided I am unable to tell whether the image is an original painting or not. If you do not see any brush strokes, it is possible that it is an illustration printed on canvas with a varnished surface (which may be what accounts for the surface cracking). With a in-person examination of your piece, a reputable antique dealer or artwork appraiser in you area should be able to quickly inform you as to whether or not it is an original painting or print.
A search of our Museum collection found no identical portraits of FDR. Our collection does have, however, numerous paintings, drawings, illustrations, etc. of FDR very similarly posed. It was fairly common during FDR's presidency for artists - both professional and amateur - to be inspired by photographic images of FDR. I believe this to be one of those cases. Judging by the dates of the other similar pieces, it is likely that the inspiration was a 1933 photo of President Roosevelt.
Your piece may have just been done simply as a tribute piece, or perhaps as a campaign piece. There does not appear to be any indication as to which is the case. If done as campaign piece, it was likely created for the 1936 campaign for which similar portraits of FDR show up on campaign memorabilia.
Best wishes,
Michelle M. Frauenberger
Museum Collections Manager
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library
4079 Albany Post Road Hyde Park, NY 12538
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Great note!
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Well at least didn`t shoot it down !! So we can say it possibly is a campaign piece by unknown artist !!