Rubens Peale with a Geranium
Painted by Rembrandt Peale, 1801
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Reggie's chest of drawers and mirror at Darlington House
(note postcards in mirror frame)
photo by Boy Fenwick
The portrait of Rubens Peale (1784-1865) was painted at the dawning of the nineteenth century by his brother Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860). The sitter and painter were sons of the celebrated American artist and naturalist Charles Wilson Peale (1741-1827), who named several of his many children after famous painters. Rubens was an aspiring botanist at the time his portrait was painted, when he was only seventeen years old, and later went on to pursue careers as an artist, like many in his family, and as a director of the Peale family museum. He is depicted accompanied by a potted geranium, which was an exotic rarity in America at the time his portrait was painted. Rubens is shown both wearing and holding a pair of metal-framed spectacles, with his hand resting on the clay pot of the plant. This, I believe, subtly conveys the visual and tactile pleasure he takes (or is it took?) in examining and touching his (for the time) unusual potted plant. It is a most pleasing portrait, the composition of which is more interesting for the prominence of the potted geranium than what is seen in another portrait of him that his brother painted six years later:
Rubens Peale
Painted by Rembrandt Peale, 1807
The National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.
Don't get me wrong, I believe the later portrait is wonderful, and exceptionally well-painted; it is certainly a work of art that I would be more than proud to hang at Darlington (the handling of the collars and neckerchief is particularly masterful). However, I am more drawn to the earlier portrait, an American masterpiece, because it conveys a narrative that extends beyond the mere depiction of the sitter. I also like the fact that the earlier portrait shows Rubens accompanied by something as unexpected and charming as a flowering geranium, of which he is justifiably proud, for it is a handsome specimen, indeed.
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Our potted heirloom geranium
photo by Boy Fenwick
As I was writing this essay I realized that the clay pot shown in the above photograph is but a sorry vessel for my geranium when compared with the one in Rubens Peale's portrait, and that I should endeavor to repot it more sympathetically. I recalled that I had seen a clay pot inspired by the one in the painting when I visited the Trade Secrets annual spring garden sale last year in Sharon, Connecticut. At that show the talented and prolific contemporary potter Guy Wolff had a booth where he was selling, among other things, a pot modeled after the one in the portrait of Rubens Peale, which he called "the Peale Pot." We have many clay pots at Darlington made by Guy and his potter son Ben, and have collected them for years as they are handsome and beautifully made.
I decided to expand the focus of this essay to also include a road trip to visit Guy Wolff's studio where I hoped to buy one of his Peale pots to repot my geranium, so that it would more closely resemble the one in the painting of Rubens Peale. I called the studio and was pleased to speak with the master potter himself, and learned that he had many of his Peale pots in stock to choose amongst, should I stop by his shop that weekend. So Boy and I fired up the Rover that Saturday morning and drove over to Connecticut on a mission to visit Guy Wolff's studio and buy a pot or two.
The Wolff Pottery studio and shop in Bantam, Connecticut
photo by Reggie Darling
photos by Reggie Darling
A selection of Peale Pots
photo by Boy Fenwick
Pots thrown by Guy Wolff and his son Ben Wolff
photos by Boy Fenwick
Large clay pots curing in the sun
photo by Reggie Darling
Our Peale-Potted Geraniums
photo by Boy Fenwick
Here is a photograph of our newly-repotted geranium, and also the cutting Erica Wolff gave us that we have potted in a smaller Peale Pot. Both pots were made by her husband, Guy Wolff. I am very pleased to have found the appropriate pot for our geranium, and absolutely thrilled to now have a cutting from the descendant of the geranium depicted in Rubens Peale with a Geranium. Thank you, Erica Wolff.
Reggie believes that he is a very fortunate man, indeed.
G. Wolff Pottery
Traditional & Horticultural Wares
1249 Bantam Road/P.O. Box 868
Bentam, Connecticut 06750
(860) 567-5577
http://www.guywolff.com/
How fascinating! The story of the Peale family & paintings is wonderful. Then to hear the history behind the geraneums.The Peale pots by Wolff are perfect for them!
ReplyDeleteKarena
Art by Karena
Mr Darling, your posts are such a good read, especially for the early morning whilst drinking my coffee. I too can imagine driving halfway across the universe - I realize the Wolff pottery is not that far away - for the right pot. I liked the simplicity, the everydayness, of your first plantpot but you're right, the connection had been made and change was required. A handsome pot indeed! I remember being fascinated by the painting of Peale and his geranium years ago when I first saw it.
ReplyDeleteJealousy rears its ugly head.
ReplyDeleteReggie:
ReplyDeleteI demand an update and photo this summer when your "new" geranium flowers".
To my mind, there is not a simpler, or chic-er plant than the geranium. And the fragrance of its leaves is sublime- the very essence of summer. If you haven't tried them, try to get ahold of a lemon or rose secented geranium (to be grown in a Wolff pot, naturally). Mine are the descendants of a huge speciman that was grown in a local greenhouse to supply leaves for the fingerbowls of its aged owner. The fingerbowls may have gone the way of the Dodo Bird, but the geraniums still thrive.
Without a doubt my favorite American portrait. Clear, fresh, direct, yet intensely personal---as immediate as a snapshot.
ReplyDeleteThe pots are great.
Wow! What a wonderful story. A cutting from Thomas Jefferson's garden...I think my toes have completely curled back in envy. A truly lucky happenstance, indeed. Congratulations on how far your inspiration has taken you. Be sure to post a photo when the cutting and your original heirloom bloom. And if people didn't know this already, gardeners are wonderful people (just like dog people).
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I was fortunate to work in the Publications Department( the fancy name for the Gift shop) at the National Gallery a few years back and visited this painting often. One of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteLove the arrangement on your chest of drawers. Thanks for another peek into Darlington House.
I won't attempt to add anything to The Down East Dilettante's succinct
ReplyDeleteappraisal of that delightful portrait; yet I would suggest to you Reggie that the plant depicted isn't a geranium but rather, a Pelargonium~ no matter what the the National Gallery of Art tells us.
Thanks for this captivating tale, Reggie. Generally speaking, Peale pantings pique my interest, but this was a particularly interesting twist to the story regarding Mr. Jefferson. Just delightful. In fact, it's made my day.
ReplyDelete@The Modern Traditionalist - Thanks for sending this, dear.
BTG
The Peales and the Wolffs! OMG what a lovely day...and I didn't even get invited.
ReplyDeleteWow Reggie, only you would come out with such an interesting article on clay pots and geraniums! Frankly im just a simple gardener and have never given much thought to pots or geraniums, which I love, but now I will. Shouldn't that geranium be outside in the sun? they love plenty of sunshine, you know and when you water them (they don't like too much) make sure you don't get the leaves. We want you to be more successful with these than you were with the topiaries!
ReplyDeleteReggie Darling, this post will grow and have its own life. It is beautiful from beginning to end. We will all be awaiting tender offspring from this heirloom. every commenter here should be in line for one over the next ten years-yes I would be last, but good things come to those who wait. The portrait is memorable, so much preferred to the second you post. It was waiting for your story to evolve and others to emerge. Interesting too that you find the simple postcard inspiring-do we all have this little quirk? I do it on my bedroom mirror, right now a Liotard from the Frick has my attention. sometimes the medium is not as important as the message. pgt
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting post, I was immediately captivated! Thank you for all you shared! I am eager to see the blooms on your precious "windfall" from Mrs. Wolff.
ReplyDeleteReggie , I am sorry to have missed you .I think that was the week end I was in New Mexica making pots for Susan Koman . I am so happy to find this blog and am very glad we had some Peale Pots around when you came . (They are very popular!) . The original geranium was a gift from the staff at Monticello . I hope to see youon your next visit to us ! Yours Guy
ReplyDeleteHello Guy,
ReplyDeleteYou had told me that you were going to be in Santa Fe when we spoke on the phone. Erica and Elizabeth were charming in your absence. Perhaps I shall see you at Trade Secrets? Rgds, Reggie
I am thrilled to read this post. I have a cutting of this geranium as well -- given to me by a colleague who attended the Historic Landscape Institute at Monticello. I have tended it with a fervor that borders on obsession for the past three years and it has grown to nearly double the size of the one in the Peale portrait. It is a hardy, leggy, lovely fellow and I adore it. I need to get my hands on a Peale pot, immediately!
ReplyDeleteHello Anon: How lovey that you also have a cutting! And it is indeed a healthy plant with a vigorous growth. Do order a pot from Guy Wolfe, it's a must!! Reggie
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