Alfred J. Wiggin Explained

Alfred James Wiggin or A. J. Wiggin (1823–1883) was an American artist active in Massachusetts, known mainly for his painted portraits and landscapes. He lived in Gloucester and Boston.[1] [2] [3]

Work

Examples of his work are in the collections of the Cape Ann Museum;[4] Historic New England;[5] Lafayette College;[6] the Peabody Essex Museum;[6] and the Sandy Bay Historical Society.

Wiggin worked as a commissioned artist, providing artistic services to clients across Massachusetts. As a result, he produced many portraits – the exact number of which is undetermined.[7] He also produced landscapes on commission, such as an 1859 oil color of a house in nearby Annisquam for a homesick sea captain.[8]

Wiggin produced portraits of several significant American figures of the mid 19th century. He painted Zachary Taylor in July 1851, a year after the president's death. In 1869, he produced a portrait of General Benjamin Butler, who was then a member of the House of Representatives for Wiggin's local district.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Ruth Wolfe. "A Passion For The Past : The Little Collection At Cogswell's Grant." Antiques, 1998.
  2. Boston Directory. 1873
  3. Somerville City Directory. 1883
  4. Web site: Cape Ann Museum .
  5. Smithsonian. National Portrait Gallery. Catalog of American Portraits. Retrieved 2011-12-13
  6. Smithsonian. Art Inventories Catalog. Retrieved 2011-12-13
  7. Cape Ann Museum. Web site: Alfred J. Wiggin . http://web.archive.org/web/20230705204821/https://www.capeannmuseum.org/collections/artists/alfred-j-wiggin/ . 2023-07-05 . live.
  8. Historic New England. Web site: Captain Oliver Lane House . http://web.archive.org/web/20210427225225/https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/gusn/2777/ . 2021-04-27 . live.