John Stoutenborough

Periodca. 1821

MediumPastel on paper

Dimensions26 × 21.8 in. (66 × 55.4 cm)

ClassificationsPortraits

Credit LineGift of Franklin J. Gronde in Memory of his wife Katherine Holmes Gronde, 1965

Object number1984.526.1

DescriptionThree-quarter length portrait of an older male facing left, with a full face, deep blue-green eyes, graying brown hair worn long in the back and brushed forward, and curly sideburns. He wears a black coat with square-cut notched collar, a black vest, a white shirt, and a plain white stock tied in a bow in front. The subject's right hand is tucked into his coat front, with only the thumb visible. The plain background is mottled tones of dull reddish brown. Mounted on wood stretchers, and lined with a newspaper sheet from the Trenton Federalist dated 15 January 1821.
Curatorial RemarksThese portraits of Monmouth County farmer John Stoutenborough and his wife Catherine capture the dignity, simplicity, and poise of the older couple. Micah Williams produced a number of related Stoutenborough likenesses including John’s and Catherine’s daughter Margaret Stoutenborough Hubbard and their granddaughter Rebecca Hubbard. Sixty-seven year old John posed for this portrait with his right hand tucked into the front of his black coat. Williams captured the roughened, lined features of a man who spent a good portion of his life outdoors in all weather. Stoutenborough dressed simply for his portrait and wore a plain white shirt without ruffles or pleats under a black waistcoat and coat. His cropped gray hair was combed plainly down above his forehead. The artist’s work on this particular portrait appears almost hurried in some areas. There is a sketchy quality in the wrinkles and folds, without the careful blending in much of Williams’ other black on black work. The artist worked quickly on John’s portrait and probably completed it in a single day.NotesJohn Stoutenborough (1754 - 1839) was the first of seven children and the oldest son of Anthony Stoutenborough (1720-1783) and Mary Sequin (Segang) (? - ?) of Staten Island. John married Catherine Holmes on 19 April 1785. Catherine was the daughter of Daniel Holmes (1721-1813) and Leah Bowne (1736-1813) of Holmdel in Monmouth County. The couple settled on a farm in Shrewsbury. John and Catherine had eight children. Catherine died in 1838. At the time of his death a year later, it appeared that John was no longer living on the family farm. In his will he instructed that the property “…which I lately occupied and is now let to Abraham Johnson” be sold.

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