Lee Lufkin Kaula (American, 1865-1957)

Portrait of Captain John H. Gresham
1907
oil on canvas
signed and dated Lee Lufkin Kaula / 1907, lower left
23 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches.

John Heslop Gresham (1835-1905), depicted here in his Grand Army of the Republic uniform, attained the rank of captain in the 56th Regiment of the New York Infantry National Guard, Company A. The regiment was originally mustered in for 30 days of service on June 18, 1863, under the command Colonel John Q. Adams. During this time, Gresham served as a sergeant and left the state with his regiment for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, attached to the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Department of the Susquehanna. After seeing action in a skirmish
near Oyster Point, Pennsylvania on June 29th, the regiment was mustered out of United States service in Brooklyn by late July.

The following year, Gresham's regiment was mustered into service once more for an additional 100 days on August 2, 1864, in Elmira, New York. This time, the regiment was tasked with duties in Elmira, likely at the Elmira Prison, originally a barracks for Camp Rathbun that was later converted to a prison camp in the summer of 1864. Elmira Prison housed the greatest number of Confederate POWs, exceeding its capacity by threefold.

After the war, Gresham wed Martha Boorum on May 22, 1869. The couple settled in Brooklyn, where Gresham worked at a stationary store, and they had three children together.

Provenance:

Leland Little Auctions, Hillsborough, North Carolina, The Summer Quarterly Auction, June 17, 2017, Lot 437.

Framed: 27 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches.

In overall fine and stable condition. Professionally restored following purchase in 2017, with treatment including cleaning and remediation of unstable craquelure and a watermark in the upper right quadrant of the canvas. Light craquelure present, notably to right cheek and forehead. Canvas has been relined, with adhesive from this process visible throughout under UV light examination. Inpainting also appears to be present to left epaulet and background around shoulder and right side of Gresham's head, with additional small spot present to right eyelid. Cracks and finish loss throughout frame.

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Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Ben Fisher

Managing Director, Furniture and Decorative Arts

[email protected]312.447.3270

Mr. Fisher rejoined the firm in 2019 after working as a specialist in the American Furniture and Folk Art department at Sotheby’s New York. His areas of expertise include 18th, 19th, and 20th century American, Continental, and English furniture, decorative and folk art. Before coming to Hindman in 2013, Mr. Fisher worked in European Furniture and Decorative Arts in Philadelphia. He began his career working for a prints dealer focusing on works from the 16th through the 20th centuries.

Leah Vogelpohl

AVP, Specialist, American Furniture, Folk, and Decorative Arts

[email protected]513.666.4960

Ms. Vogelpohl joined the firm in 2013 as a cataloger in the American and European Furniture and Decorative Arts department. She became a department specialist in 2017, focusing on American decorative arts and silver. She received a BA from the College of Charleston and an MLITT in Art History from the University of Glasgow.

American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts

Lee Lufkin Kaula (American, 1865-1957)

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