Margaret Nostrand Townsend (ca, 1762 or ca. 1771-1775-?)

Artist/Maker Augustin Amant Constant Fidèle Edouart (French, 1789 – 1861)

Margaret Nostrand Townsend (ca, 1762 or ca. 1771-1775-?)

1840

Black prepared paper cut-out, laid on paper

Image (height): 5 3/4 in. (14.6 cm)
Framed: 10 5/8 × 8 5/8 × 7/8 in. (27 × 21.9 × 2.2 cm)

Gift of Irving S. Olds

Z.2531

Margaret Nostrand was born in Jamaica, Queens, and married Thomas S. Townsend in 1797. Édouart noted in his records that she was “Aged 78 in 1840,” when he cut her silhouette in New York on the first day of October. Like many elderly females that he portrayed, Édouart depicted Townsend in a rocking chair still engaged in useful work, either knitting or crocheting with the aid of spectacles.

DescriptionSilhouette: Full-length female figure seated in rocking chair, in left-facing profile; black paper cut-out mounted on cream paper; gilded rectangular frame.

SignedSigned and dated at lower center: "Aug'st Edouart, fecit 1840 / 411 Broadway New York"

MarkingsLabel on back: "IRVING S. OLDS COLLECTION"

InscribedInscribed on old backing board in brown ink, perhaps from original frame: "C. Lawrence / My great-great randmother / Mrs. Thomas S. Townsend & her ^grand son / John D(rake?) Townsend"; below in graphite: "(Margaret Nostrand)"

ClassificationsDRAWINGS