Harrison Gardiner Wright

Period1818 (?)

MediumPastel on paper

Dimensions22 × 17.75 in. (55.9 × 45.1 cm)

ClassificationsPortraits

Credit LineMuseum Purchase with Funds from Edward N. King, Jr., 2012

Object number2012.14.2

DescriptionThree quarter length portrait of a young male facing left, with a lean face and reddish brown hair combed forward. He wears a rich blue jacket with blue buttons, a high collared white shirt, and a black bow tie. The background fades from white to gray.
Curatorial RemarksThe dating of this portrait is somewhat problematic. English artist James Martin, who arrived in New York about 1794, was known to be active in that area as a portrait painter to at least 1820. A companion portrait of Wright's father bears the remains of a paper label on the reverse that, although incomplete, is believed to be dated 1818. While this portrait depicts a young man, Harrison G. Wright would have been only eight years old if his likeness was executed at the same time as that of his father. While his facial appearance might be considered that of a teenager, the clothing that he is wearing does suggest a boy of ten years or less. That includes the open collar shirt and the loosely tied bow tie.NotesHarrison Gardiner Wright (1810 - 1885), was born in Philadelphia, the second son of Samuel G, Wright and his wife Sarah Wright. A Philadelphia merchant, Wright owned a large farm and an imposing three story brick mansion in Upper Freehold, Monmouth County, built between 1809 and 1811. This country estate was named Merino Hill after his prize flock of merino sheep. On his father's death in 1845, Harrison succeeded to ownership of the farm. In 1834 he had married Sophia W. Brognard. They became the parents of three children, one of whom died young. Wright passed away on 12 February 1885, at the age of seventy-four. He was interred in the East Branch Friends Meeting cemetery adjacent to Merino Hill.

Collections

Portraits

ProvenanceHarrison G. Wright (1810 - 1885); to his son Walter L. Wright (1835 - 1910); to his son Henry H. Wright; to his daughter Elizabeth G. Wright Meirs (1917 - 2007); to the family of her nephew Richard S. Wright (1941 - 2010); sold at Freeman's in Philadelphia on 13 November 2012.