Eunice Dennie Burr (Mrs. Thaddeus Burr)
- Date
- 1758–60
- Material
- Oil on canvas
- made in
- United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Paintings
- Collection
- American Art
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 338
- Dimensions
- 50 × 40 in. (127 × 101.6 cm)
framed: 55 1/8 in. × 45 in. × 2 1/2 in. (140 × 114.3 × 6.4 cm) - Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 173:1951
NOTES
The brilliant pink damask, delicate Flemish Mechlin lace, white satin, and silver rosettes of the gown worn by Eunice Burr (1739–1805) attest to her financial means. The exotic green parrot at left represents her virtues, such as patience and diligence, as well as her affluence, as only the most prosperous families could import the birds from the Caribbean or South America. Burr’s wealth derived at least in part from labor stolen from the men, women, and children that her father and husband enslaved.
This portrait is one of a pair with her husband’s portrait, also in the Museum's collection (174:1951), and together they likely commemorate their marriage in 1759. A committed patriot during the Revolutionary War, Eunice refused to leave her home when faced with the impending arrival of British troops. Despite her courageous action, the troops burned her home to the ground as she watched from a nearby swamp.
This portrait is one of a pair with her husband’s portrait, also in the Museum's collection (174:1951), and together they likely commemorate their marriage in 1759. A committed patriot during the Revolutionary War, Eunice refused to leave her home when faced with the impending arrival of British troops. Despite her courageous action, the troops burned her home to the ground as she watched from a nearby swamp.
Provenance
by 1873 -
Mrs. and Judge Warren, Plymouth, MA; Boston, MA, USA [1]
by 1878 -
Jonathan S. Burr (1804-1887), Brooklyn, NY, inherited from Judge Warren [2]
by 1891 - still in 1901
Andrew E. Burr (1833-1899), New York, NY [3]
by 1915 - still in 1930
Caroline Burr Knapp (1860-1928), New York [4]
by 1936 - still in 1938
Theodore J. Knapp (1892-1947), New York, inherited from Caroline Burr Knapp [5]
Harry K. Knapp, New York
- 1951
M. Knoedler & Co., Inc., New York, NY, purchased from Harry K. Knapp [6]
1951 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. [7]
Notes:
This painting shares a provenance with its companion portrait (174:1951), which depicts Eunice Dennie Burr's husband, Thaddeus Burr. The main source for this provenance is a receipt from M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. dated May 28, 1951 [SLAM document files].
[1] According to an 1873 publication, the Burr portraits belonged to Mrs. Judge Warren of Plymouth [Perkins, Augustus. "Sketch of the Life and a List of Some of the Works of John Singleton Copley." Boston: n.p., 1873, 42; Todd, Charles Burr. "A General History of the Burr Family in America." New York: E. Wells Sackett & Bro, 1878, 79]. Mrs. Judge Warren may be a descendant of Thaddeus Burr's brother, Gershom Burr. Gershom Burr's granddaughter Abby married the Honorable Charles Henry Warren, and they had no children [ "A General History of the Burr Family." New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1891, 156-157].
[2] Judge Warren left the painting to Jonathan S. Burr, also a descendant of Gershom Burr [Todd, 79].
[3] In an 1891 publication, the portraits’ owner is identified as Andrew E. Burr, Esq. A 1901 publication also identifies Andrew Burr (Jonathan S. Burr's son) as the painting's owner [Todd, Charles Burr. "A General History of the Burr Family." New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1891, 60; Root, Mary Philotheta. "Chapter Sketches: Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution, Patron Saints." Daughters of the American Revolution, 1901, 67; Todd, 199, 220].
[4] Caroline Burr Knapp (Mrs. Harry Kearsarge Knapp, the daughter of Andrew E. Burr) owned the painting in 1915 when it was included in a publication, in 1920 when it was included in a loan exhibition, and still in 1930 when it was published again [Bayley, Frank W. "The Life and Works of John Singleton Copley." Boston: Taylor Press, 1915, 71; "Loan Exhibition of Old Masters." New York: Galleries of M. Knoedler & Co., 1920, 5; Parker, Barbara Neville and Anne Bolling Wheeler. "John Singleton Copley: American Portraits in Oil, Pastel, and Miniature with Biographical Sketches." Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1938, p. 53-55; Bolton, Theodore and Harry Lorin Binsse. "John Singleton Copley." "The Antiquarian" XV, no. 6 (December 1930): 116; Todd, 220].
[5] Theodore J. Knapp inherited the painting from his mother, Caroline Burr Knapp. The catalogue for a 1936-37 exhibition notes that he was the lender for "Thaddeus Burr" ["An Exhibition of Paintings by John Singleton Copley." New York: William Bradford Press, 1936, no. 35]. A 1938 publication also names him as the owner [Parker and Wheeler, 53-55].
[6] H. K. Knapp is listed as owner in Knoedler & Co. commission book; Harry K. Knapp, Jr. (1890-1943) is brother of Theodore J. Knapp; Harry K. Knapp, Jr. also had a son, Harry K. Knapp (1928-1999) [SLAM document files].
[7] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, June 11, 1951.
Mrs. and Judge Warren, Plymouth, MA; Boston, MA, USA [1]
by 1878 -
Jonathan S. Burr (1804-1887), Brooklyn, NY, inherited from Judge Warren [2]
by 1891 - still in 1901
Andrew E. Burr (1833-1899), New York, NY [3]
by 1915 - still in 1930
Caroline Burr Knapp (1860-1928), New York [4]
by 1936 - still in 1938
Theodore J. Knapp (1892-1947), New York, inherited from Caroline Burr Knapp [5]
Harry K. Knapp, New York
- 1951
M. Knoedler & Co., Inc., New York, NY, purchased from Harry K. Knapp [6]
1951 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. [7]
Notes:
This painting shares a provenance with its companion portrait (174:1951), which depicts Eunice Dennie Burr's husband, Thaddeus Burr. The main source for this provenance is a receipt from M. Knoedler & Co., Inc. dated May 28, 1951 [SLAM document files].
[1] According to an 1873 publication, the Burr portraits belonged to Mrs. Judge Warren of Plymouth [Perkins, Augustus. "Sketch of the Life and a List of Some of the Works of John Singleton Copley." Boston: n.p., 1873, 42; Todd, Charles Burr. "A General History of the Burr Family in America." New York: E. Wells Sackett & Bro, 1878, 79]. Mrs. Judge Warren may be a descendant of Thaddeus Burr's brother, Gershom Burr. Gershom Burr's granddaughter Abby married the Honorable Charles Henry Warren, and they had no children [ "A General History of the Burr Family." New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1891, 156-157].
[2] Judge Warren left the painting to Jonathan S. Burr, also a descendant of Gershom Burr [Todd, 79].
[3] In an 1891 publication, the portraits’ owner is identified as Andrew E. Burr, Esq. A 1901 publication also identifies Andrew Burr (Jonathan S. Burr's son) as the painting's owner [Todd, Charles Burr. "A General History of the Burr Family." New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1891, 60; Root, Mary Philotheta. "Chapter Sketches: Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution, Patron Saints." Daughters of the American Revolution, 1901, 67; Todd, 199, 220].
[4] Caroline Burr Knapp (Mrs. Harry Kearsarge Knapp, the daughter of Andrew E. Burr) owned the painting in 1915 when it was included in a publication, in 1920 when it was included in a loan exhibition, and still in 1930 when it was published again [Bayley, Frank W. "The Life and Works of John Singleton Copley." Boston: Taylor Press, 1915, 71; "Loan Exhibition of Old Masters." New York: Galleries of M. Knoedler & Co., 1920, 5; Parker, Barbara Neville and Anne Bolling Wheeler. "John Singleton Copley: American Portraits in Oil, Pastel, and Miniature with Biographical Sketches." Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1938, p. 53-55; Bolton, Theodore and Harry Lorin Binsse. "John Singleton Copley." "The Antiquarian" XV, no. 6 (December 1930): 116; Todd, 220].
[5] Theodore J. Knapp inherited the painting from his mother, Caroline Burr Knapp. The catalogue for a 1936-37 exhibition notes that he was the lender for "Thaddeus Burr" ["An Exhibition of Paintings by John Singleton Copley." New York: William Bradford Press, 1936, no. 35]. A 1938 publication also names him as the owner [Parker and Wheeler, 53-55].
[6] H. K. Knapp is listed as owner in Knoedler & Co. commission book; Harry K. Knapp, Jr. (1890-1943) is brother of Theodore J. Knapp; Harry K. Knapp, Jr. also had a son, Harry K. Knapp (1928-1999) [SLAM document files].
[7] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, June 11, 1951.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.