The Friends of Historic Kingston (FHK) has announced their upcoming Noontime Conversation Series will begin on Friday, September 15th, 2017.
The half-hour talks begin at noon in the Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery. The focus of these informal conversations is FHK’s acquisition of noteworthy portraits – one pair by John Vanderlyn, and one pair by his nephew, John Vanderlyn, Jr.
On September 15, Paul O’Neill, Ulster County’s Commissioner of Jurors and a local historian, will share his research about General George Henry Sharpe (1828-1900) of Kingston, the subject of one of the portraits by John Vanderlyn (1775-1852). The first pair of portraits depicts Henry Sharpe (1782-1830) and his wife Helen Hasbrouck Sharpe (1797-1886) with their son, George Henry Sharpe. George Henry Sharpe would later become a general in the Union Army. A local hero, he presented the statue “Patriotism” at the Old Dutch Churchyard in honor of the men in his regiment, the 120th Infantry, New York Volunteers. His home, known as “The Orchards,” stood opposite Academy Green at 1 Albany Avenue until it was demolished in 1967. Today, the property is a parking lot for the Governor Clinton Hotel.
On September 22, Sanford Levy, an antiques dealer, will speak about the path the second pair of paintings took to arrive at the FHK gallery. The portraits, entitled “Oil on Canvas,” are attributed to John Vanderlyn, Jr. (1805-1876), the nephew and student of his renowned uncle, John Vanderlyn. The subjects of these paintings are thought to be members of the Kingsbury Clarke family of Palenville in New York’s Greene County. Mr. Levy will discuss the provenance of this couple and his discovery of the works.
The Friends of Historic Kingston Gallery is located on the corner of Wall Street and Main Street in Kingston. Seating is limited and donations are welcome. For information, call (845) 339-0720, or click here.
Painting: Sharpe Family Portraits, by John Vanderlyn.
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