Charles Ethan Porter (1847-1923)
Peonies in a Vase, c. 1885
Oil on canvas, 19 3/4 x 23 1/2”
Signed lower right

Porter was one of very few African-American artists of his day. In 1881 he auctioned his paintings in Hartford to finance study in Paris, an experience that American artists deemed essential. He enrolled at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs and stayed in France for three years.

On his return to Hartford, he demonstrated new technical virtuosity in paintings such as Peonies in a Vase. It soon became clear, however, that
Hartford preferred Porter’s earlier more primitive and meticulous art. A nationwide economic turndown and mounting racism added to his burdens. Finally, he went home to Rockville, Connecticut, where he continued to paint, teach, and exhibit.