Portrait of a Man

Francis Chalmers (1869–1945), Edinburgh, by January 23, 1942–1945 [1];

Purchased from his posthumous sale, Miniatures, Christie’s, London, January 29, 1946, lot 77, as Portrait of a Gentleman, by Hans Edmund Backer, 1946 [2];

Robert H. Rockliff (1893–1963), Eastbourne, by November 11, 1947;

Purchased from his sale, Fine Portrait Miniatures, Enamels, and Snuff Boxes, Sotheby’s, London, November 11, 1947, lot 127, as Miniature of a Man, by Frank Partridge (1875–1953), 1947 [3];

Mr. John W. (1905–2000) and Mrs. Martha Jane (1906–2011) Starr, Kansas City, MO, by 1965;

Their gift through the Starr Foundation to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1965.

Notes

[1] Chalmers exhibited the work at the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Water-Colours in 1943, according to Nelson-Atkins correspondence between Lesley Nicholl and Andrea Rico, February 10–11, 2005, NAMA curatorial files.

[2] According to the lot description, “Portrait of a gentleman, three-quarter face to the right, in plum-coloured coat, green vest and frilled cravat, his hair powdered–by John Smart, signed with initials and dated 1779–in pearl locket.” According to Art Prices Current 24 (1945–46), “Bacher” bought lot 77 for £65. Bacher is most likely a misspelling of Backer, a dealer of portrait miniatures. H. E. Backer seems to be the name Backer used professionally, but his full name is Hans Edmund Backer, and he was a London and Rome-based art dealer. Backer sometimes bid for the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

[3] According to the lot description, “A Good Miniature of a Man, by John Smart, signed and dated 1779, three-quarters dexter, gaze directed at spectator, hair en queue, in brown coat, lime-green vest and white stock and cravat, 1 5/8 in.; in pearl bordered frame.” According to an attached price list, F. Patridge bought lot 127 for £95. Patridge was a British art dealer and interior decorator.