My artifact that I will access is a large oil portrait dated 1870, Richmond, Indiana by Marcus Mote. Marcus Mote was a Quaker artist who worked in Ohio and Indiana.
Mote was born in West Milton, Ohio in 1817.[1] In 1844 he moved to Lebanon, Ohio where he established a studio. He worked there as an itinerant artist. He opened a studio there, in 1864 he removed to Richmond, Indiana.[2] He began teaching art to a few students in his Lebanon studio, which he expanded in Richmond. He called his new venture "Richmond Academy of Design," during his time in Richmond he campaigned for general art education. in public schools.
During this period it was unusual for a Quaker to be an artist. That religious community felt the profession of Art was worldly for their beliefs. Mote work include's landscapes, still lifes, religious paintings, portraits and photographs. He painted portraits of at least three governors, Jeremiah Morrow and Tom Corwin of Ohio and Oliver P. Morton of Indiana.[2]
Marcus died Feb 26, 1898 and is buried in the Earlham Cemetery, Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana.
In the 1860 census, I find Marcus Mote(53) and wife Rhonda(49) living in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana with two children, Henry and Jennie all were born in Ohio. He is listed as an Artist. Rhonda was listed as Keeping House.
When the portrait was purchased a few years ago, the portrait was loose from the stretcher. There was a lot of paint loss on the lower right side. I sent the portrait to Suder's Art Store in the Over the Rhine area of Cincinnati. The business has been there for more than 100 years. Sharon the owner does the restoration work. Paintings that need to be re stretched are attached to a new canvas with bee's wax. They use a large hot press to attach the two canvases together. The older canvas is trimmed then attached to the restored stretcher.
When a painting is cleaned, the old varnish (varnish will yellow over time) is removed. Some of the loose paint will reattach to the canvas in the hot press. Other areas of loss in the painting may be in painted. When the restorer is satisfied, The finished portrait will be re varnished. Then attached to the restored frame.
This painting is kept in a dark room, in order that the colors may remain vibrant. The long range plans for this portrait and my other mid Nineteenth Century portraits have not been made a this time. It is my hope to find a local museum that would add these portraits to their collection. Many of my portraits have been restored and are in better shape than the ones I have seen in local historical museums. Most of the portraits do have an Ohio connection.
The portrait is of a middle aged woman, she looks to be an aristocrat. The red drapery with the Greek key gives the feeling of wealth. This oversize portrait gives a hint that the sitter is someone of importance. Since the portrait is dated, I feel there is a good chance that I could find the sitter. I have learned that there are 24 boxes of records from Marcus Mote. Someday I hope to find a bill or other entry in the records that would tell me who the sitter may be.
Future plans for this portrait
It is my hope that this portrait and other Ohio portraits in my collection, find an institution where they can be held and displayed.