“Augustine Mailly of Lyon France”

June 1830

Maker

S. Urech (dates unknown)

Measurements

Frame: 10-7/8 in x 9-1/2 in x 1 in; sight, 7-1/4 in x 5-3/4 in

Materials

Paint on paper

Credit Line

Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of Cheri W. Klunk

Accession Number

2020.3

Inscription

“Peint par / S. Urech / Juin 1830” is painted in the lower right corner of the portrait.  "Augustine Mailly  / of Lyons [sic] / France" is written on ink on brown paper now affixed to the backing of the frame.

Comments

A hand-written note of Constance Mailly (1849-1936), Augustine’s daughter by his second wife, accompanying the painting identifies the sitter as Augustine Mailly (1803-1862) of Lyon, France.  The portrait, she notes, was taken along “the shore of Lake Geneva Switzerland where he was staying for a time, -- he was sitting as in the picture with a friend, an artist, -- who said, -- “Stay as you are.  I would like to paint you. . . .”

Mailly is shown as a young man wearing a green coat with black color and a black cravat, a white shirt, and a white vest.  His left hand rests on an iron railing and shows a ring on his index finger.  The index finger on his other hand holds a place in a green book.  His right elbow rests on the round top of a stand, on which are an oboe and sheet music Trees behind him and church and mountains in the distance are visible in the background.

The French-born Mailly married Mary Ann Thomas (1812-1845), a daughter of Samuel and Rachel Wilson Thomas and a granddaughter of David and Mary Corbit Wilson.  Mailly lived at White Hall Farm outside of Middletown and is buried in Appoquinimink Friends Burial Ground with other members of his family.