Joseph Badger

The John Gordon Collection of American Folk Art, Christie's, New York, January, 1999, Lot 1046 Lincroft, New Jersey, Monmouth Museum, "Masterpieces of American Folk Art," September 30-November 29, 1975 Sarah B. Sherrill, "Current and Coming," Antiques (September 1975), p. 334 Gordon, Masterpieces of American Folk Art (Lincroft, New Jersey, 1975) Joseph Badger, the son of Stephen and Mary Kettell Badger, was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, on March 14, 1707/08. The artist and his wife apparently moved to Boston in 1733, making their home near Brattle Church Square until 1763. It was probably there that Badger's abilities and interests in portrait painting were developed through contact with artists like John Smibert and Peter Pelham, who lived in the same general area, or Thomas Johnston, the early teacher of John Greenwood. Badger seems to have spent his entire career in this area of Boston, moving just two years before his death to a house and lot he purchased on Temple Street. The best of Badger's portraits exhibit both charm and decorative interest, qualities that were important to aspiring eighteenth-century Americans. His use of color and the patterned effect sometimes created by the range and intensity of hues reinforced the visual impact of his work.

LOT 336 PROPERTY FROM DESCENDANTS OF GOVERNOR WILLIAM BRADFORD ATTRIBUTED TO JOSEPH BADGER 1708 - 1765 LITTLE GIRL IN GREEN DRESS HOLDING CHERRIES, A LITTLE BOY INROSE-COLORED COSTUME SWINGING A CAT: A PAIR OF PORTRAITS OF THECHILDREN OF THE THOMAS DICKMAN FAMILY The Bradford family genealogy states: "Moses Bradford's(descendant of William Bradford's, (Governor of the PlymouthColony) first wife was Ascenath Dickman of GreenfieldMassachusetts. Her father, Thomas Dickman, was born in Boston,December 13, 1769 and moved "west" to Springfield about 1792 as ajourneyman printer. All that we know of the worldly goods which hebrought with him from Boston were these two pictures. The identityof the subjects is unclear but it has always been thought that theywere brother and sister of his." The girl's portrait is dated onthe back 1767. the girl: oil on canvas; the boy: oil on paper 15,000—25,000 USD measurements each 25 by 19 1/4 in. Description The Bradford family genealogy states: "Moses Bradford's(descendant of William Bradford's, (Governor of the PlymouthColony) first wife was Ascenath Dickman of GreenfieldMassachusetts. Her father, Thomas Dickman, was born in Boston,December 13, 1769 and moved "west" to Springfield about 1792 as ajourneyman printer. All that we know of the worldly goods which hebrought with him from Boston were these two pictures. The identityof the subjects is unclear but it has always been thought that theywere brother and sister of his." The girl's portrait is dated onthe back 1767. the girl: oil on canvas; the boy: oil on paper CATALOGUE NOTE Joseph Badger (ca.1707–1765) was a portrait artist in Boston,Massachusetts in the 18th-century. He painted some 80 portraits ofmerchants, businessmen, clergy, and other notables, and their wivesand children. Badger was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, to tailor StephenBadger and Mercy Kettell. In 1731 he married Katharine Felch; theymoved to Boston around 1733. He was a member of the Brattle StreetChurch. He "began his career as a house-painter and glazier, and ...throughout his life continued this work, besides painting signs,hatchments and other heraldic devices." The best of his portraitsexhibit charm, immediacy and, as in this case, humor. Some of his subjects include: James Bowdoin (1676-1747), father of Massachusetts governorJames Bowdoin Elizabeth Campbell, wife of William Foye William Cooper (1716-1743), pastor of the Brattle St. Church,Boston Andrew Croswell (1709-1785), pastor of King's Chapel, Boston Thomas Cushing (1696-1746), speaker of the Massachusetts Houseof Representatives, and father of Thomas Cushing Thomas Dawes Jonathan Edwards Works by Joseph Badger are in the collections of the WorcesterArt Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Historic NewEngland's Phillips House, Salem, Massachusetts, The MetropolitanMuseum of Art, Harvard University, Yale University and The AbbyAldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center.

ATTRIBUTED TO JOSEPH BADGER PORTRAIT OF JOHN GILL, JR. 3,000—5,000 USD 55.2 by 36.8cm oil on course brown paper Cincinnati, Ohio, The Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Collects Paintings, March 31-May 15, 1983

AFTER JOSEPH BADGER, 19TH CENTURY Portrait of Isaac Jones oil on canvas laid down on panel 31 x 25 in. Pre-Lot Text SOLD BY THE ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ART INSTITUTEOF CHICAGO Lot Notes Isaac Jones was born in New Haven and graduated from YaleUniversity in 1757. He married Sibyl Benjamin of Stratford,Connecticut and had eight children with her before dying in 1812 inNew Haven.

Lot 72 ATTRIBUTED TO JOSEPH BADGER (American 1708-1765) PORTRAIT OF MOTHER AND CHILD oil on canvas 49 1/2 x 40 in. (125.7 x 101.6 cm.) Estimate $3,000-5,000 Sold for $5,000