Physical Dimensions: overall: 215 x 136 cm (84 5/8 x 53 9/16 in.)
framed: 254 x 177.8 x 12.7 cm (100 x 70 x 5 in.)
Provenance: The sitter [1786-1852], Boston; his wife, Nancy Lawrence [d. 1866], Boston;[1] her son, William R. Lawrence [d. 1885], Brookline, Massachusetts.[2] his son, Francis W. Lawrence [d. 1903], Brookline, Massachusetts; his wife, Lucilla T. Lawrence [d. 1922], Brookline, Massachusetts.[3] her brother-in-law, Robert M. Lawrence, Boston; his cousin, the Rt. Rev. William Lawrence [d. 1941], Boston, by 1923;[4] his children;[5] gift 1944 to NGA.
[1] Amos Lawrence will, 21 February 1846, Suffolk County, Massachusetts (photocopy in NGA curatorial files).
[2] Nancy Lawrence will, 4 November 1861, Suffolk County, Massachusetts (photocopy in NGA curatorial files). She leaves "the bust, portrait, and miniature of their beloved father" as well as all her remaining portraits to her sons William R. and Amos A. Lawrence. By 1856 William Lawrence wrote of the portrait as being in his "possession" (Lawrence 1856, viii).
[3] Francis W. Lawrence will, 14 January 1903, Probate Records, Norfolk County, Massachusetts (photocopy in NGA curatorial files). Lucilla T. Lawrence will, 24 May 1920, Probate Records, Norfolk County, Massachusetts (photocopy in NGA curatorial files), bequeaths "all" her "pictures" to Susan Hand, "of New York"; however, available evidence suggests that following the death of Lucilla Lawrence the portrait remained within the Lawrence family.
[4] Provenance information is provided by a card (signed and dated "W[illiam]. L[awrence]. March 1923"), formerly attached to the frame of the painting, now in NGA curatorial files.
[5] The names of the children as they signed the deed of gift to NGA are as follows: Rev. Frederic C. Lawrence, Marian L. Peabody, Elinor L. Mills, Sarah Lawrence Slattery, W. Appleton Lawrence, Julia L. Fearey, and Ruth Lawrence Reed.