Reticule with still life, possibly Ruth Brown Brattleboro, Windham County, Vermont, circa 1825

Rendered in watercolor and ink on velvet with silk lining and woven ribbon tie

Inscribed back, ink: Ruth Brown

Paul Mcinnis Inc., Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Marjorie Schorsch, Greenwich, Connecticut, as agent, 1985

"Women Only: Folk Art by Female Hands," New York, American Folk Art Museum, April 6-September 12, 2010

American Radiance: The Ralph Esmerian Gift to the American Folk Art Museum, p. 303, fig. 264

Some discoloration and foxing.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The art of theorem painting, accomplished with the use of stencils, was widely taught at female academies and seminaries during the early decades of the nineteenth century. Still-life compositions of fruit and flowers were the typical compositions, often based upon patterns that were either published or provided by a teacher. Surviving templates show that some compositions required several stencils to create a single arrangement. The taste for still-life and flower painting was nurtured by the proliferation of botanical prints by the end of the eighteenth century. Combined with the increasing availability of watercolors, theorem painting exercises gained in popularity as an alternative to expensive and time-consuming needlework projects.

Because the theorems were completed with the aid of stencils, each element has a sharply defined edge. The color was pounced against the hollow edge of the stencil and worked toward the center, resulting in the distinctive shading associated with this form. This technique is evident on both sides of the bag, the front decorated with an arrangement of two large flowers and a smaller spray between, the back with a still life of fruit. Both sides are united by a border of spiky pine needles that also adorns the top flap. Ruth Brown has not been identified, and it is not known if she embellished this bag herself or received it as a token of friendship. -S.C.H.