I finished yesterday’s post about the Uffizi portrait gallery with a bit of a cliffhanger. I didn’t include the setting, though. This was at Isle of Palms a few weeks ago. Several extended family members live near Charleston, so we visit them (or they visit us) while we’re there. So, my aunt interrupted my story about people walking right past a Rembrandt with an intriguing offer. “If you love portraits, I have a proposition for you.” Now, I had no idea where she was going with this start. Maybe she had a portrait to show me or had a question or request. I wasn’t left in suspense for long. She started telling me about a few antique oil portraits she had in a closet, and she wanted to pass them along to someone who would love them. She also offered some details about the size, age, and subject of the portraits. My mind was racing with excitement, but I caught 18th and 19th century, orante gold frame, and Napoleon’s mother.
I had a fleeting thought to ask for pictures of the portraits. She described one as a little rough and very heavy. I also know that art is a very personal thing, and some portraits speak to you, while others don’t. What if I accepted this generous offer, and then I hated them? And there was the issue of getting them home after we drove 10 hours to South Carolina with two packed cars.
I decided not to ask for pictures of the paintings for two reasons. One – my aunt has amazing taste. I’ve always admired her decorating and eye for antiques, so I was pretty sure I would love anything that came out of her home. Two – when someone offers to give you an antique oil portrait or two, you don’t ask for pictures, you don’t worry about how you’ll get them home, you just say yes and hope it all works out.
My brother, sister-in-law, and Jeff drove over to my aunt and uncle’s house a couple of days later to visit and pick up the paintings (and see the live oak “Angel Tree”). The paintings arrived back at our rental house wrapped in a bed sheet and cushioned with a piece of cardboard, and Jeff called me down to see them. I braced myself for a minute. “Will I like them?” Both Jeff and my brother nodded with confidence. “Oh yeah, these are totally you.”
I unwrapped the first one in the antique rectangular frame. “That’s Napoleon’s mother.” I gasped. I put my hand over my mouth and laughed. It was such a beautiful painting. I was over the moon. My brother pulled the cardboard off and helped unveil the second painting. It was a painting of a young woman, likely mid-1800s, in a huge, heavy oval gilt frame.
At that moment, my laughter and giddiness morphed into unexpected tears. They sort of snuck up on me, but I just leaned in and let it go. I full-out ugly/happy cried. The portraits were beautiful, which contributed to the tears, but the root of them was my aunt’s generosity. It was such an overwhelmingly enormous gift. She could’ve sold these or put them in an auction. She didn’t have to bestow them on her niece for free. No strings, no qualifiers. Just a gift in every way.
Here is the painting labeled as Napoleon’s mother…
There is no signature, but the label on the back (added by the auction house) reads, “Continental School, Portrait of Madame Mére, mother of Napoleon Bonaparte.”
Isn’t it gorgeous?! Ah!! And, look at the frame. The frame is magnificent.
My favorite part is the ribbons in her little lacy cap.
Here is where we hung the painting, and it is absolutely perfect there.
I have done some research on Letizia Bonaparte, including her known portraits, and I need to do a lot more research before I make any real determinations about it. I have some guesses and gut feelings based on my research so far, as well as the details on the back of the painting, but I’ll spend more time on it and report back with what I discover.
Honestly, I don’t care about the details. I love it because it is a beautiful antique portrait and an incredibly generous and special gift.
I don’t want to leave you hanging again, so here is the other portrait. This one is huge and very heavy! It will need to hang on screws in a couple of studs, so we haven’t hung it up yet.
My aunt described this portrait as “a little rough”, but I think it’s wonderful! It does have some heat-induced bubbling in the dark passages of hair, but that doesn’t bother me. Her face is so pretty, and I love the gentle blue in the background. My guess is that this portrait is from the mid-to-late 1800s based on the clothing and hair. It gives Queen Victoria/Civil War era vibes. Again, I’ll do some research and report back.
The fortunate thing is that I happened to have three moving blankets in the back of our van. I usually keep a couple in there for when I buy things from antique stores or plants from the garden center. I thought we had removed them when we packed, but we didn’t, and they came in handy! We made a trip to Home Depot to get some shrink wrap, and we covered each painting with a piece of the sheet they were originally wrapped in, protected the front of the paintings with a large piece of cardboard, and then wrapped each painting in a moving blanket, secured with shrink wrap. They were snug, and we were able to get both portraits home safe and sound.
I think the woman in the oval frame will go in the guest room, but I’m still deciding. Once this one is hung, it’s staying there forever!
22 Responses
They are beautiful!! What a wonderful gift. I can totally understand the happy tears. 🙂
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heart eyes emoji X 300!!!
How wonderful! The young women has such a beautiful and sweet face.
The colors in the painting appear to blend beautifully with your fire place surround and shelving! Both are family treasures.
They really do! We leaned it up, and it was so perfect with the green paint, the bricks, and the color of the leather books on the shelves. I wish my ceilings were about 6″ taller, but that’s a small thing!
Oh wow!! What an amazing gift from your sweet aunt. Sounds like she has excellent taste and is a generous lady to boot. Thanks for sharing, I am looking forward to learning more about these ladies.
Wow, your dear aunt bestowed these gifts on the right person!!! They are so perfect for you and definitely swoon-worthy! I’m sure you are writing her quite the thank you letter.
What an amazing and thoughtful gesture your aunt has done! What’s truly special is that they’ll likely been passed down from generation to generation and be in your family for decades to come. The young woman is just stunning! You’ll have to choose a spot for it in your home where you can admire it every day.
I wish Jeff had recorded your response for your aunt to enjoy!
Do you watch Julian Baumgartner? https://www.youtube.com/BaumgartnerRestoration
We are big fans of his and I immediately started to think how he would restore the bubbling on the oval painting. With your skills I wonder if you could DIY even without a hot table!
Oh, I will look into that! Thanks!
My brother actually snapped a picture, but it was a full ugly cry, so it wasn’t super flattering! 🙂
An amazing gift. They are beautiful and have found the perfect home with you!
Those are absolutely gorgeous. I almost cried with you. What a generous and perfect for you gift!
They are so amazing, aren’t they?
Lucky, lucky you! Your Aunt must love you so very much to bestow such a wonderful gift to you. She knew you would treasure them as they should be treasured.
As I turn 80 next month I am thinking more about where my “Treasures” will go. I would love to give them to people who would enjoy and appreciate them rather than be sold at an estate sale where strangers would be handling my most precious belongings. It would give me great pleasure to see their faces as they received my gifts…they would actually be giving me a gift. As they say…”Ya can’t take it with ya!”
That’s what she wanted to do. She could’ve sold these, but it was important to her that they went to the right person who would really love them. It was a good example to me when the time comes to downsize.
WOW!!! What wonderful gifts. I, like your aunt, would rather pass something down than make some money at auction. Knowing that you truly will treasure something that I too found special.
The paintings and the frames are gorgeous….however, Ms. Bonaparte ain’t no Sophia Loren or Gina Lollobridgida,…by a long shot!!!! She is a little rough around the edges! Her bonnet is beautifully done.
The other young woman is a beauty and the bubbles would not upset me either…kinda like crazing on glass. I would not get it restored, it shows great age. Lucky you!!!
The paintings are beautiful and I’m so happy for you! I’m sure your aunt loves knowing that her beloved paintings will be with you—the artist who will truly appreciate them. My memory may be flawed but didn’t you do a story once of the inside of her home? If I’ remembering correctly, it showed how the two of you were kindred spirits in terms of style.
I absolutely love that your aunt passed these beautiful portraits on to you—what a meaningful gift! This is real life, Theo. They’re truly stunning, and I can’t think of a more perfect person to have them.
That aunt of yours knew exactly who to gift these to, eh? Lovely. It looks like an interpretation of a portrait of Francios Pascal Simon Gerard. Just like today, having a royal portrait in your home and office was expected of a royal subject. Many copies were made, but few survived. The Roma girl was a hit at the beginning of the twentieth century in parts of Europe. All three of my grandparents had one hanging. The eyes <3 sometimes even with a tear rolling down the cheek. I hope it can be restored. Such a lovely gift, you lucky girl.
Dear Marian,
An aunt who knows one’s heart and talent is a rare gift. How kind that your aunt expressed her understanding by gifting these magnificent historical paintings to you, her niece. That too, is gift and one which will surely become part of the generational “story”. I look forward to the results of your research which will uncover the history of the lovely portraits.
A blessed Easter,
Diney on Mercer Island
Wow, so great, it is like wining the Lotto. None of my aunts possessed anything of value.
I wonder if I would risk working on the hair bubble.
Enjoy them until you will pass them down, a long time from now.
Monique
What a priceless gift your aunt gave you. Both of them are beautiful and look so nice in your home. The oval one is so soft and beautiful I love the way the dress was painted. My mom passed on treasured family items to me while she was alive. She wanted to see me enjoy them. I will do the same for my daughters. I love that your aunt was so happy to see you love these special portraits. Thank you for sharing with us it is really special.