Subject: 19th Century Art

Cast bronze plaque created circa 1890s by Katherine M. Cohen (1859-1914). The obverse features a richly detailed bas-relief of a pastoral scene. The reverse is blank with a hanging device. The plaque is signed 'K.M. Cohen' incised in the bronze.

Charcoal drawing of a young man by Mary M. Cohen, dated December 12, 1887. The drawing depicts a young man; Mary M. Cohen was a prominent Jewish-American journalist, writer, poet, and activist known for her work in women's suffrage and Jewish causes.

A tinted crayon lithograph on chine-collé (thin china paper) on wove paper. Depicts two scenes from Surinam: 'Sources d'eau froide a la Savane des Juifs' (Cold water sources with Savannah Jews) and 'Village habite par des juifs au sommet de la montagne' (Jews village at the top of the mountain). Originally from P.J. Benoit's *Voyage a Surinam. Description des possessions Neerlandaises dans La Guyane*, published in Brussels by the Société de Beaux-Arts in 1839. The lithograph was created by Jean Baptiste Madou after a work by P.J. Benoit.

A crude blown glass pitcher in light green, of poor quality glass. It features a strap handle and overlaid glass around the neck. Crude gold decorations and a Jewish star are present. The form is similar to a biblical water pitcher. The pitcher measures 12" in height, including a 5.5" neck/spout. Date estimated as 1800 based on donor information.

A die-cut decoration, likely used to embellish Jewish New Year's greeting cards. Dating from circa 1890s to 1900, this piece reflects a style popular in the later 19th century. While similar imagery was prevalent in Christian art forms depicting the stages of life from roughly 1840-1880, this example represents a parallel yet distinct aesthetic within Jewish artistic traditions. The item is part of Manuscript Collection 1410, located in Out-of-Storage, Box 5, Folder 2.

A single-page letter written by Frederick Cohen in Detroit, Michigan, to Andrew M. Makin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1845. The letter details Cohen's childhood art training in England, providing valuable biographical information about the artist's early life and training.

Oil miniature on ivory of an unknown sitter, signed 'S. Polack.' Solomon Polack (1757-1839) was a Jewish artist born in The Hague who worked in Dublin and London from 1790 to 1835. He frequently exhibited at the Royal Academy and, in addition to miniature painting, designed and etched plates for a Hebrew Bible.

Oil on canvas portrait of Andrés Pico, possibly painted circa 1854 by Solomon Nunes Carvalho. The painting's attribution is debated, with the possibility it depicts one of Pico's brothers. The sitter's identity was initially identified by comparing the painting to a daguerreotype in the collection of the Seaver Center for Western History Research at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. This portrait is significant as potentially the only extant painting of Pico from this period in Los Angeles.

Original pen and ink drawing of Franklin Pierce, 14th President of the United States, by Hungarian-born American artist Jacques Reich. The head-and-shoulders portrait, completed circa 1885, depicts Pierce in a dark coat, vest, white shirt, and dark tie. Reich based his work on the 1858 presidential portrait by G.P.A. Healey. The drawing measures 6 1/2" H x 5 1/2" W.

Pastel portrait of Samuel Hays, a prominent Philadelphia merchant, created circa 1810 by James Sharples. The painting has excellent provenance, descending through the Hays family before being sold at auction and ultimately acquired by the collection in 2007. Samuel Hays (1764-1839) was a prominent merchant who served his apprenticeship under Haym Solomon. He was married to Richea Gratz in 1794 and was active in both the general and Jewish communities. James Sharples (1751/1752-1811) was an English-born artist known for his pastel portraits, who worked in various cities in England before settling in Philadelphia around 1793. This portrait is featured in Hannah London's *Portraits of Jews*. The physical item is located in Arc.MS.56, Crate 3, Tray B.

This scrapbook, compiled by Jacob da Silva Solis-Cohen, contains approximately 110 pages of personal materials dating from the 1850s. It includes 43 original drawings and paintings in various media (watercolor, ink, charcoal, and pencil), many by Solis-Cohen himself, as well as works by his friends, including Ellen Samuel and S.L. Samuel. The scrapbook also features numerous engravings from books and advertisements, bookplates, poetry, and writing, possibly collected during travels in Europe. A label from Williams Artist Emporium, 37 N. 6th St., Philadelphia, dates to the 1850s. The scrapbook measures approximately 12" x 16" x 2" and weighs over 8 pounds. The collection suggests a glimpse into Solis-Cohen's life before his medical career, spanning his time in high school and before medical school. A later cartoon from the 1870s appears to be out of place chronologically.

A self-portrait sketch by the renowned American artist John Wesley Jarvis (1781-1833), presented to Richea Gratz Etting (1792-1881) of Baltimore. Jarvis painted Solomon Etting, Richea's father, between 1809 and 1813. This sketch, likely given as a token, is in its original frame. The sketch was later passed to Frank Marx Etting and subsequently acquired by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Collection in 1888. The painting's dimensions are 3" H x 2 1/2" W, and the frame measures 5 1/4" H x 1" x 5" W. The frame shows age, with wear in the corners and openings on the sides, retaining its original bail of nails on the back.

Watercolor painting of an Arab. The artwork is torn into three pieces but complete. It is signed, but the signature is illegible. The watercolor was found with the Tobias Collection and is circa 1870.