Object Record
Images
Metadata
Accession # |
AC2016.6.2.02 |
Item Name |
Oil Painting Frame, Picture |
Description |
Oil painting on wood panel (.01), an untitled bust-length portrait of John Black (1836-1892) by an unidentified artist, ca. 1885. He is facing left, wearing a black coat and a black shearling hat. He has white sideburns and a greying red beard and moustache. Neutral green background. The painting is mounted in an ornate, gold-painted and gilded wooden frame (.02) with floral motif featuring daisies, with strip of inner frame covered in red velvet . Late 20th-century inscription on reverse of frame reads in part, "John Black / Born - Dec 28, 1836. / Died - age of 52, 1892, Liverpool, England / Buried in Bellside Cemetery, Fergus". G381 |
Date |
Circa 1885 |
Provenance |
John Black was born at Borthwick, Midlothian, Scotland in 1836. He emigrated to Canada around 1856, staying first with his brother James, who had earlier settled in Galt, Ontario. Upon hearing of the sudden death of a Fergus butcher, John Black and his brother purchased the deceased Mr. Drout's business, moved to Fergus and became butchers. On 03 Nov. 1857, John Black wed Helen Foote (1840-1925) of Blackburn Cottage, Lot 6, Concession 1, West Garafraxa Township, just outside Fergus Village. After their marriage, the couple purchased Blackburn Cottage from Helen's half-brother, David Foote. There they raised a family, while John Black Sr. expanded his business pursuits in the livestock and grain industry. In the early 1860s, during the American Civil war, he returned to Galt in partnership with John Scott and the duo specialized in raising cattle and shipping them to the United States. The business prospered, and led Black to pursue the cattle business in Fergus. An entrepreneur, he also engaged in a number of other ventures including dealing in grain, hogs, hay and other farm produce. In 1860 John and Helen Black began replacing their cottage with an elaborate limestone dwelling complex, a process which took a good twenty years to complete, with the last structure finished in 1879. The revamped Blackburn included the house, an enclosed high-walled garden that was terraced down to the river, a rootcellar and a stables, with a long limestone breezeway connecting them. The donor notes that In 1875, the home was equipped with running water, a bath, and shower, and that the Blacks hired "imported workmen and gardeners" to work on the estate. On 28 June 1892, John Black left Fergus to accompany a shipment of cattle to England. He sailed from Montreal aboard the ship the "Storm King" on 03 July 1892, and a month later was pronounced dead in Liverpool, England. He died on 03 August 1892. His body was returned to Fergus where it was buried in Belsyde Cemetery. After his unexpected death, Helen Black inherited the estate. This portrait of John Black, as well as the accompanying portrait of his wife (ART 1195) were handed down through the Black family. By the late-20th-century, they were in the possession of J. Ermine "Emma" Gallagher (1891-1979), who was the daughter of Jack Black and Mary Hughs. An inscription signed by J. Ermine Gallagher on the back of this portrait outlines their provenance, "These pictures (2) were owned by Helen Sheppard Dunlop (oldest grand-child of John and Helen Black (Blackburn). They were given to Ermine Gallagher and her wish is that they be returned to Blackburn at the discretion of [her son] John Black Gallagher." The donor is a relative of the Black family. |
Person \ Organization |
Belsyde Cemetery Black, Helen Black, Jack Black, James Black, John Butcher Drout Dunlop, Helen Foote, David Foote, Helen Gallagher, Emma Gallagher, J. Ermine Gallagher, John B. Hughs, Mary Scott, John Sheppard, Helen |
Place |
Blackburn Canada England Fergus Galt Grand River Liverpool Midlothian Montreal Ontario Scotland United States West Garafraxa Twp. |
Year Range from |
1875 |
Year Range to |
1895 |
Art number |
Art 1196 |
Creator \ Maker |
Unknown |
Subjects |
Architecture Commercial Portrait War |
Makers mark |
Top portion in late 20th- or early 21st-century handwriting. It is a different hand to the bottom portion which is signed by J. Ermine Gallagher. J. Ermine Gallagher was born 11 March 1891 to Jack Black and Mary Hughs. Gallagher died in Fergus on 27 April 1979. |
Title (art only) |
Untitled |
Art Image size |
Approx. 25 (h) x 20 (w) cm |
Art Frame size |
44.5 (h) x 39.6 (w) x 5 (d) cm |