The Old Redoubt, Pittsburgh
Object number2021.159.1
Artist
William Thompson Russell Smith
(1812 - 1896)
Date1830
MediumOil on canvas; Wood; Gesso; Golf leaf; Metal; Plastic; Paper; Ink
Credit LineGift of Eric and Laurie Widing
DescriptionFramed oil painting on canvas. Rectangular painting depicts Fort Pitt Block House in the right midground. To the left rear of the Block House is an attached red brick building with a gambrel roofline and chimney, and to the left rear of this building is a shorter red brick building with chimney. Wooden lean-tos abut the Block House to the left. Wooden fence in front of the Block House with a green gate at right and numerous colorful textiles draped over the fence at center (from left to right: white, red, yellow, blue, pink-red, and orange). Left midground has a green tree and right midground has another building in the distance. Dirt ground along foreground in front of fence. Mostly cloudy sky.
Gilt wooden frame has interior beaded border with leaf ornamentation at each corner that curves up to deeper frame section featuring a twisted beaded border; exterior perimeter has zig-zag border. Bottom frame member has brass plate mounted at front center.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth (Framed): 15.375 x 19.438 x 2.75 in. (39.1 x 49.4 x 7 cm)Height x Width (Sight size): 9.375 x 13.375 in. (23.8 x 34 cm)
SignedArtist signature painted in the bottom left corner "R.S. / 1830"; there is possibly another date (possibly "1876") following the "1830", but it is difficult to decipher.
InscriptionsBlock House has painted text just below roofline at center "A.D. / 1754".
Brass plate mounted on front center of bottom frame member has black text "1812 RUSSELL SMITH 1898 / THE OLD REDOUBT, PITTSBURGH / Presented to his friend, J.W. Kerr in 1876".
Reverse of canvas has handwritten ink text visible through left window "Presented to / [illegible] W. Dwight Bell / [illegible] By J W Kerr / Oct 1884" and right window "...Blockhouse, or Redoubt, Pittsburgh, / ...in 1830 [symbol] / painted by Russell Smith / Presented to his friend J.W. Kerr / 1876".
Previous owner
J. W. Kerr
Previous owner
Eric Widing
Previous owner
Laurie Widing
Subjects
On View
Not on view
John Anderson
2002