Gerardus Duyckinck I (attributed), six portraits of the Levy-Franks family (Franks Children with Bird, Franks Children with Lamb, Jacob Franks, Moses Levy, Mrs. Jacob Franks (Abigaill Levy), and Ricka Franks), c. 1735, oil on canvas (Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art). A conversation with Dr. Mindy Besaw, Curator of American Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and Dr. Beth Harris. A Seeing America video https://smarthistory.org/seeing-america-2/
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Portraits of the Levy-Franks Family
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Question 1
According to the video, the Levy Franks portraits were probably painted by a traveling painter with little formal training, known as a:
A
Milliner
B
Linnet
C
Limner
D
Miner
Question 2
The Levy-Franks family’s wealth came from:
A
Shipping
B
Textiles
C
Plantations
D
Publishing
Question 3
The set of Levy Franks family portraits was meant to emphasize all of the following things about the family EXCEPT:
A
Status
B
Wealth
C
Lineage
D
Jewish identity
Question 4
According to the video, the composition, clothing, and backgrounds of the paintings were inspired by:
A
English mezzotints of the aristocracy
B
Portraits of famous English explorers
C
Dutch mezzotints of Jewish families
D
Dutch Baroque landscapes
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Key points
This series of six paintings captures three generations of the Levy-Franks, a wealthy merchant family who were part of the small community of Jewish immigrants who settled in lower Manhattan. Their shipping empire supplied the British during the French & Indian War, carried goods on Caribbean trade routes, and possibly brought enslaved people to the Americas.
These portraits were created by a limner painter, who most likely had no formal training but certainly knew English mezzotints of the aristocracy. Their poses, dress, and accessories align the family with the upper class. The paintings would have conveyed their wealth and celebrated the family network.
The portraits reinforce the wealth and social status of the Levy-Franks family, but also create a strong network between the members of three generations. Looking at the portraits together, how did the artist emphasize family connections and create a unified sense of community?