Painting: "Portrait of Charles Sherwood Stratton with a Dog"
Portrait of Tom Thumb
R.R. Reinagle (created by)
Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb)
Southworth, Mary (associated with)
Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb)
Southworth, Mary (associated with)
June 1844 (Date manufactured/created)
oil on canvas
Oil portrait of Charles S. Stratton (better known by his stage name, Gen. Tom Thumb) standing next to a chair with one arm resting on the seat, which calls attention to his short stature. This is a full-length portrait, dating from June 1844 when Stratton was in England on his first tour with showman P. T. Barnum. Stratton was 6-1/2 years old at the time although Barnum advertised him to the public as 11 years of age to make his diminutive size more impressive. The artist has depicted Stratton with rosy cheeks, and fair hair that contrasts with very dark, large eyes. He is formally dressed in a black wool suit with a wine color vest--likely an expensive brocaded silk vest--and a white shirt with black silk cravat, pulled slightly to the side. He is wearing two rings on his proper left hand, a fancy stick pin in his shirt front and cravat, and a fine gold watch chain. A hat with a red lining, and a large white kerchief edged in lace are casually placed on the chair seat. Both appear larger than would be suitable for use by Stratton, who was only about 24 inches tall at this age. A small dog, possibly a King Charles Spaniel, with dark color fur touched with red-brown and white, sits next to Stratton with his back toward the viewer but his head turned, as if acknowledging the viewer's presence.
This portrait was made near the beginning of Stratton's three-year tour of Europe with P. T. Barnum, which ran from from 1844 to 1847. Barnum sought audiences with royalty and heads of state, and the aristocracy, to rapidly leverage the young boy's fame, as well as his own. The two had been associated since December of 1842, as Stratton’s parents signed him with Barnum at the American Museum when the boy was just shy of his fifth birthday. During this tour, Stratton gave multiple command performances for Queen Victoria, and entertained many of the British aristocracy. The artist, R. R. Reinagle, was a British academic painter and was well known for his paintings of animals. The exact circumstance or reason for this painting of Stratton are unknown, however the inclusion of a spaniel may be connected to the popular story of Queen Victoria's small dog chasing Stratton as he bowed his exit, hastening to the door backwards, as was the protocol when leaving the presence of royalty. The incident was said to have been very amusing to the Queen and must have been repeated to many. It was included in Barnum's autobiography as well.
At age 25, Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren and the two had a happy marriage. Stratton's performances brought him renown as a celebrity, one of the biggest at the time, and the pair, as "Mr. and Mrs. Gen. Tom Thumb," became very wealthy. They traveled around the world, and gave thousands of performances. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut; his wife was buried beside him at her passing in 1919.
This portrait was made near the beginning of Stratton's three-year tour of Europe with P. T. Barnum, which ran from from 1844 to 1847. Barnum sought audiences with royalty and heads of state, and the aristocracy, to rapidly leverage the young boy's fame, as well as his own. The two had been associated since December of 1842, as Stratton’s parents signed him with Barnum at the American Museum when the boy was just shy of his fifth birthday. During this tour, Stratton gave multiple command performances for Queen Victoria, and entertained many of the British aristocracy. The artist, R. R. Reinagle, was a British academic painter and was well known for his paintings of animals. The exact circumstance or reason for this painting of Stratton are unknown, however the inclusion of a spaniel may be connected to the popular story of Queen Victoria's small dog chasing Stratton as he bowed his exit, hastening to the door backwards, as was the protocol when leaving the presence of royalty. The incident was said to have been very amusing to the Queen and must have been repeated to many. It was included in Barnum's autobiography as well.
At age 25, Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren and the two had a happy marriage. Stratton's performances brought him renown as a celebrity, one of the biggest at the time, and the pair, as "Mr. and Mrs. Gen. Tom Thumb," became very wealthy. They traveled around the world, and gave thousands of performances. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut; his wife was buried beside him at her passing in 1919.
1936.005.001