09/04/2026
A new discovery: This portrait of a boy by Raph D. Curtis is the finest example of his work known to us, joining fifty recorded examples executed in his distinctive and highly recognizable style. Although his body of work came to light in 1973, Ralph D. Curtis was not identified as the artist until a 2009 Magazine Antiques article. His subjects are usually dressed in elegant clothes befitting the upper-middle-class, such as the Eton collar and cravat worn by this young sitter, and his especially sensitive depictions of children suggest he enjoyed painting young subjects.
Inquiries: [email protected]
RALPH D. CURTIS (1808-1885)
Boy holding a book
New York State, circa 1830-1840
Oil on poplar panel, 22 x 17 1⁄2 inches
