Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection of silhouettes
Collection V87
circa 1755-1964 (bulk, circa 1790-1850, undated)(3.1 Linear feet ; 9 boxes, 1 flat file)
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
- Creator
- Edouart, Augustin-Amant-Constant-Fidele, 1789-1861.
- Creator
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
- Creator
- Peale, Charles Willson, 1741-1827.
- Creator
- Sansom, Joseph, 1765 or 1766-1826.
- Creator
- Williams, Moses.
- Title
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection of silhouettes
- ID
- V87
- Date
- circa 1755-1964 (bulk, circa 1790-1850, undated)
- Extent
- 3.1 Linear feet ; 9 boxes, 1 flat file
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Karen Schoenewaldt.
- Language
- English
- Abstract
- This collection holds silhouettes in various formats, arranged in three series: Series I: silhouettes; Series II: related material such as photostats and photographs of silhouettes, ivorytype portraits, drawings, watercolors, lithographs, engravings, book manuscripts; Series III: embroidery and paper cuts. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania formed this collection over several decades. Housed in 9 boxes, plus oversize objects in one flat file, the collection is arranged by card catalog number and source. A searchable database is available in HSP's library. The vast majority of silhouettes are undated; recorded dates run from circa 1755 to 1964. The silhouette collection is a valuable resource for the history of works on paper, Philadelphia artists, urban and art historians and genealogists. Many of the silhouettes came from the Charles Willson Peale Philadelphia Museum and Peale Museums in Baltimore and New York. Many of the silhouettes relate to family papers housed at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Preferred citation
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], HSP collection of silhouettes (Collection V87), Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Background note
Silhouettes, also called profiles or hollow cuts, offered a popular and inexpensive way to create a portrait. Often made and sold by itinerant silhouette cutters, these portraits were frequently traded, sold, and collected in family albums and were often the only known likenesses of these sitters.
The artist often used a pantograph, which Peale called a physiognotrace, to draw an outline of the sitter by tracing the contour of the face, which the device then reduced in size. A piece of paper was folded in quarters, and the needle at the other end of the pantograph incised a line onto the paper which the silhouettist then cut out to create four identical silhouette portraits that could be given to or exchanged with friends and family. With the advent of photography in the mid-19th century, the popularity of this art form quickly waned. Many silhouettes have an embossed stamp that identifies them with the Peale Museums. Few in this collection have an artist’s inscription, however most from the Peale’s Philadelphia Museum can be attributed to Moses Williams (1777–circa 1825), an artist formerly enslaved by Charles Willson Peale. Manumitted in 1802, Williams continued to work at the Peale Museum. Other identified silhouettists include John André, William Henry Brown, Joseph Goldsborough Bruff, William Chamberlain, Augustus Day, Augustin-Amant-Constan-Fidèle Edouart, Samuel Folwell, Miss M. A. Honeywell, William James Hubard, Deborah Logan, John Meirs, Raphaelle Peale, Joseph Sansom, and Todd's Patent.
Scope and content note
The collection falls into three series. Series I are silhouettes, Series II items are taken from silhouettes - engravings, photostats, photocopies, prints, or scholarly articles). Series III consists of other artwork, such as paper cuttings, ivorytypes, and embroidery.
Few silhouettes in this collection have an artist’s inscription, however most from the Peale’s Philadelphia Museum can be attributed to Moses Williams (1777–circa 1825), an artist formerly enslaved by Charles Willson Peale. Manumitted in 1802, Williams continued to work at the Peale Museum. Other identified silhouettists include John André, William Henry Brown, Joseph Goldsborough Bruff, William Chamberlain, Augustus Day, Augustin-Amant-Constan-Fidèle Edouart, Samuel Folwell, Miss M. A. Honeywell, William James Hubard, Deborah Logan, John Meirs, Joseph Sansom, and Todd's Patent.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2024.
1300 Locust StreetPhiladelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200
Access restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Usage restrictions
Some material in this collection is fragile, and researchers are asked to handle individual silhouettes with care.
Provenance
This is an artificial collection culled together by the staff of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Related Materials
Related materials
At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:
Two small albums by silhouettist Joseph Sansom are in this collection and include silhouettes by Sansom and ones attributed to Charles Willson Peale.
The Rex family papers (Collection 3003) holds an important album of silhouettes (1823-1848, undated) by French artist Augustin-Amant-Constan-Fidèle Edouart.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Peale's Museum (Philadelphia, Pa.)--History.
Subject(s)
- Artists--United States.
- Cut-out craft.
- Headwear--History.
- Neckwear--History.
- Paper art.
- Paper work.
- Philadelphia Museum.
- Silhouettes--History.
- Silhouettes.
Collection inventories
The collection's inventory is available online as a PDF and on paper in HSP's library. Also available only in HSP's library are inventories of silhouettes found in other HSP collections and silhouettes from Collection V87 that could not be located as of this finding aid's publication date (2024).