Fine & Rare American Schoolgirl Watercolor, Young Girl with a Lamb in a Landscape, Probably Connecticut, Circa 1820-1831

Watercolor and gold foil on paper. In original gilt frame with floral molded corner applications.

Scene of a girl wearing a blue dress with a lamb is one of the more elegant and sophisticated examples of a schoolgirl watercolor. Possibly a self-portrait of the artist outside her family home with her beloved pet, the picture is carefully rendered in exquisite detail. The garland worn by the lamb is echoed by the garland of roses that encompass the interior scene and it is evident that the handsome gold leaf frame, original to the piece, was thoughtfully chosen.
This work was likely completed by a student at a female academy in the early 19th century. While many students chose to replicate romantic or patriotic scenes from print sources, this artist created a touching, original work inspired by her own life's joys. The central octagonal vignette recalls a particular shape found in schoolgirl watercolor decorated paperboard boxes which often also utilize gold foil paper as borders, examples of which is illustrated in Robert Shaw and Jane Katcher, The Instruction of Young Ladies, Arts from Private Girls' Schools and Academies in America (Cooperstown, NY, 2016), nos. 33-34.