alb3657709

FRANCIS WILLIAM EDMONDS. Taking The Census

Taking the Census. Artist: Francis William Edmonds (American, Hudson, New York 1806-1863 Bronxville, New York). Dimensions: 28 x 38 in. (71.1 x 96.5 cm). Date: 1854.
The United States Census of 1850 initiated the requirement that heads of households provide information about each of their dependents. The new regulation caused a good deal of confusion. Edmonds's humorous image, which is the earliest known portrayal of the census-taking process, features a father's painstaking efforts to recall his family statistics, while several of his children hide from sight. The small framed portrait of George Washington above the mantel evokes not only the genesis of the country's political system but also the legendary admonition never to tell a lie. The carefully lit interior and wealth of detail in the composition were inspired, in part, by earlier Dutch genre scenes.
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Title:
Taking The Census
Caption:
Taking the Census. Artist: Francis William Edmonds (American, Hudson, New York 1806-1863 Bronxville, New York). Dimensions: 28 x 38 in. (71.1 x 96.5 cm). Date: 1854. The United States Census of 1850 initiated the requirement that heads of households provide information about each of their dependents. The new regulation caused a good deal of confusion. Edmonds's humorous image, which is the earliest known portrayal of the census-taking process, features a father's painstaking efforts to recall his family statistics, while several of his children hide from sight. The small framed portrait of George Washington above the mantel evokes not only the genesis of the country's political system but also the legendary admonition never to tell a lie. The carefully lit interior and wealth of detail in the composition were inspired, in part, by earlier Dutch genre scenes.
Technique/material:
OIL ON CANVAS
Museum:
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Credit:
Album / Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY
Releases:
Model: No - Property: No
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Image size:
4245 x 3121 px | 37.9 MB
Print size:
35.9 x 26.4 cm | 14.2 x 10.4 in (300 dpi)