To complement its permanent collection, Historic New England recently acquired two paintings related to its core focus: to acquaint visitors with New England’s historic homes and possessions.
Historic New England recently acquired a circa 1855 miniature, 1 by 1 inch, portrait of Mary Louisa Bowen, daughter of Henry Chandler Bowen of Roseland Cottage in Woodstock, Conn., inscribed on the back “Mary Bowen Holt” and “Mary Louisa Bowen born 1848.”
Mary Louisa Bowen, born two years after Gothic Revival-style Roseland Cottage was completed in 1846, was the eldest daughter of Henry Chandler Bowen (1813‱896) and Lucy Maria Tappan (1825‱863). She married George Holt (b 1848) in Woodstock, in 1871. Even as an adult she summered at Roseland Cottage with her family. Her daughter, Constance, was the last Bowen to live at Roseland Cottage, and did so until her death in 1968.
The second acquisition is a circa 1859 painting of the Hancock House on Beacon Street, Boston, by American painter Charles Furneaux.
The painting, one of the few known of the house, is a wonderful addition to Historic New England’s collection of material related to the demolition of Hancock House. The image shows the house and the buildings that surround it, providing historical and architectural context.
The demolition of the Hancock House in 1863 became the rallying cry for preservationists for generations. Because of its influence on the preservationist movement in New England, the fate of the Hancock House is closely linked to the history of Historic New England.
Historic New England’s collection of Hancock House objects and archival materials is exceptional, and is the basis of the traveling exhibition, “The Preservation Movement, Then and Now.”
Historic New England’s headquarters are at 141 Cambridge Street. For more information, 617-227-3956 or www.HistoricNewEngland.org .
