Early Knickerbocker literary theme

This painting appealed to me immediately for several reasons when I first viewed it many years ago. First of all it is a night scene, which is rare, second, it reminded me of one of my favorite American artists, John Quidor (without fully showing his highly eccentric staccato compositional style) and third, it is a literary genre painting. I found out through the seller that famous portraitist Charles Loring Elliott (1812-1868) started his art studies in New York City in 1830 under Jonathan Trumbull, who initially discouraged him from pursuing art as a career, then working in the studio of John Quidor. In a story similar to that of Thomas Cole, he was “discovered” when three of his paintings placed in a shop window attracted the attention and praise of Trumbull. According to his patroness and biographer Mrs. Sylvanus Lewis, these early works depict Knickerbocker themes, one of them from James Kirke Paulding’s novel The Dutchman’s Fireside. Quidor largely devoted his career to themes from Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper, so Elliott’s choice of Knickerbocker literary subjects is not surprising. Although the current picture is not visibly signed, it is stylistically, thematically, and compositionally similar to another Knickerbocker theme by the artist, in the collections of the Heritage Plantation of Sandwich (image above); this seems to be the painting referred to by Mrs. Lewis in an article she published about Elliott as The Battle of Fort Christina, from Irving’s Knickerbocker’s History of New York. A third painting, dating to almost 30 years later, also has a Knickerbocker theme, depicting Anthony van Corlaer, the trumpeter of New Amsterdam. In both of the early Elliotts, the depiction of round small stones scattered on the ground, which throw distinct shadows, is evident, as is the appearance of a man with a wooden leg, and a crowd of figures interlocking in vigorous action or gesture. The latter remind the viewer of John Quidor’s melodramatic, queer scenes. Finally, the present panel bears the owner’s name E. A. Lewis on verso along with a Brooklyn address, thereby corresponding to Mrs. Sylvanus (Estella Anna) Lewis, whose portrait Elliott also painted (collection of The New-York Historical Society). I find particularly charming the appearance of the serene and beautiful black woman shown at left, and the black toddler, early depictions of African Americans in a neutral, non-caricatural manner. This is one of my very favorite paintings and it hangs above my desk. It should be said that Elliott became very famous for his portraits; recording many of the writers, artists, politicians, and other prominent people of the day. Hence this early work, demonstrating the influence of Quidor and of Knickerbocker writer James Kirke Paulding, is a rarity and true rediscovery.