Portrait of an Unknown Woman

Unknown

I saw this picture in the antique store down the street from my house the first time I visited about a year and a half ago.  And every time I have been in the store since I have been drawn to it.  I don’t know why.  The picture was tagged at $45, and I knew that I didn’t want to pay that much for it.  After thinking about it and finally offering to purchase it if they came down on the price, I was able to walk out the door with it ten dollars cheaper, $35.

When people purchase items to resell from estate sales they usually go for items from which they can make quite a bit money.  And when pictures are involved, especially of this size, the person will look at the frame, not the picture.  I don’t really care about the frame, I care that someone had decided to sell a portrait of their ancestor rather than keep it in the family.  It actually kind of distresses me a bit.  Why?  Why would someone decide that these portraits are not important enough to keep in the family?  Maybe there is no more immediate family, but there is always some blood relative out there somewhere that would love to see pictures of their ancestors.

I don’t know who this woman is.  The picture is mounted on an old canvas and it is slowly trying to detach itself.  I’m going to try to find a frame to put it in, or build one, in an attempt to save it from further damage.

Author: Digging Up Your Family