Folk ArtBy: Cooper Nick Ben and Jeremy

Levi Mentzer Born May 3, 1811

ca. 1811Mentzer Family Memberpen and ink on paper mounted on paperboard10 1/4 x 8 in. (25.9 x 20.2 cm)Smithsonian American Art MuseumGift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson

Hulda Martin in her 55 year

1826Frederick MayhewBorn: Chilmark, Massachusetts 1785Died: Cambridge, Ohio 1854oil on canvas26 1/8 x 22 1/4 in. (66.5 x 56.4 cm)Smithsonian American Art MuseumGift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross JohnsonSmithsonian American Art Museum3rd Floor, Luce Foundation Center

Woman with Gold Necklace

ca. 1850Attributed to Prior-Hamblen Schooloil on canvas27 1/8 x 22 1/4 in. (69 x 56.5 cm)Smithsonian American Art MuseumGift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson

In this photo I observe that there is a woman in a blue dress facing the left with a flower in her hand. There is only one woman and a flower In this picture.

I think it was made before the civil war. The woman is facing to the left in this picture.

Who is this woman? What is she staring at? Why is she holding a flower in her hand? Why did the artist make this?

Thelma Snowdon1846James Owenwatercolor, ink, and pencil on paperboard9 3/8 x 6 1/2 in. (23.7 x 16.5 cm)Smithsonian American Art MuseumGift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson

Man with Gold Pencilca. 1850Attributed to Prior-Hamblen Schooloil on canvas27 1/4 x 22 1/4 in. (69.1 x 56.6 cm)Smithsonian American Art MuseumGift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson