Silhouette of Gershom Mendes Seixas by Joseph Wood, New York: 1813

Silhouette (8 x 6  3/4  in.; 205 x 172 mm). Black paper on parchment; artist's signature, title, and date in pencil on both recto and verso. Glazed and framed (12 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.) partial gilt; wood backing, later tape. Old paper label with identifying information: title, artist's name and name of early owner. Parchment with minor cockling and lightly soiled; paper with minor water stains.

Made in 1813, presumably commisioned by Gershom Mendes Seixas himself, or as a gift to him; then by descent in the Mendes family.

an extremely rare likeness of Seixas created in his lifetime

Gershom Mendes Seixas (1745–1816) was the first native-born Jewish clergyman in the United States, serving Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of New York from 1768 to 1776 and again from 1784 to 1816. Seixas was an ardent patriot during the American Revolution and participated in George Washington's first inauguration at Federal Hall in New York City in 1789. Although Seixas was an opponent of the War of 1812, he advocated to his congregation that it was the responsibility of all Americans to support their country in a time of war, regardless of their faith. Seixas was a trustee of Columbia University and a member of the first Board of Regents of the State University of New York.

Joseph Wood (1778-1830) was a talented artist who worked in New York, Philadelphia and Washington in the early years of the nineteenth century. Though most widely known today for his highly sought after miniature paintings, as a young artist, Wood supplanted his income by producing silhouettes, also called profiles. Less expensive than paintings, this widespread form of portraiture achieved great popularity from about 1790 to 1840, declining only after the advent of photography.

An Image of the present lot appears in David and Tamar De Sola Pool, An Old Faith in the New World; portrait of Shearith Israel, 1654-1954 (New York: 1955), following page 188.