A stunning family portrait of Gilded Age privilege

This is Cornelia Ward Hall, wife of businessman John H. Hall, and their four children, in a rich and magnificent 1880 portrait by Italian painter Michele Gordigiani.

corneliahall

Who was Hall? A very well-off wife and mother living in New York at the height of the Gilded Age—one who apparently kept a lower profile than some of her peers.

The portrait doesn’t tell us much about Hall and her family specifically. But in the painting, they represent the era’s twin preoccupations with material wealth and family values: a mother and wife outfitted in the finest clothes and jewels surrounded by her beautiful children.

Think of her as a domestic goddess of the late 19th century, who ruled the home and nurtured her children, as the painting makes clear.

[“Mrs. Cornelia Ward Hall and Her Children” is part of the collection at the Museum of the City of New York; 61.155.1]

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5 Responses to “A stunning family portrait of Gilded Age privilege”

  1. Sean Munger Says:

    Love this picture. This past summer in my class I used this painting on the slide in my presentation to introduce “The Gilded Age” because it speaks so perfectly to it.

  2. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    It does speak to an era of richness and extravagance. I find it mesmerizing.

  3. Richard Bond Says:

    https://books.google.com/books?id=Fl4oAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA191&lpg=PA191&dq=john+hudson+hall&source=bl&ots=lWqrkACFud&sig=MiVxByzo4ybauaLNTn0xNjyechQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWsoH53K_VAhXCbz4KHWmEBZA4ChDoAQglMAA#v=onepage&q=john%20hudson%20hall&f=false

    • ephemeralnewyork Says:

      Thanks for this–Mr. Hall was quite accomplished, and according to the bio, blessed with a happy family life.

  4. Sharon Hellbardt Says:

    I actually bought a candle holder in an antique store in germany with her name engraved. I landed on this page through my search on the name.

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