According to the British artist's great great granddaughter, the original oil painting, probably similarly large, was a self-portrait of the artist Richard Ansdell (British, 1815-1885), and the boy is possibly his son Tom. The disposition of the original oil is unknown. Jean Mannheim, who is presumed to have resided in Decatur, Illinois (1894-1900) when he created his version, is likely to have used for inspiration a famous high-quality hand-colored etching colored and pencil-signed by Ansdell but etched (and also pencil-signed) by his neighbor Thomas Oldham Barlow (British, 1824-1889). The publication date of the roulette etching/mezzotint appears to be 1881 or 1882. Given Mannheim's travels, it cannot be completely certain whether he saw the modest-sized print or the monumental original oil painting.
Literature (Mannheim): Richard W. Reitzell, "From a Versatile Brush: The Life and Art of Jean Mannheim," 1911 (full page image); literature (Ansdell): National Portrait Gallery online resources, npg.org.uk (known portraits of Richard Ansdell RA).
The Mannheim pastel's massive Victorian frame measures 73" tall by 53" wide. The pastel has been remounted with acid-free materials and OPTIUM museum acrylic plexiglass, 99% UV protection. The frame has been restored and reinforced. The artwork will not be shipped by ordinary commercial carrier. Local inspection and pickup is therefore most recommended.
The supplemental photographs below are to provide some comparative reference to the substantial size of the artwork in a residential setting.
