Miss Frances Truefitt

Between 1874 and 1877, Miss Frances Truefitt shared Clock House,  65 Princes Street, with Peter Truefitt.   She was

'Portrait, Landscape and Animal Painter'.

Portrait

Below is a message about one of Frances Truefitt's paintings that I received from Garry Stuckey.

If you have any comments in response, can you please e-mail me so that I can pass them on to Garry.

Thank you.     -  Peter Stubbs

Portrait by Frances Truefitt

Question

"I have owned a  portrait for many years, signed by  Frances Truefitt.  It is a portrait of a woman in her fifties, I would say, dressed in Widow's  Weeds and wearing Victorian jewellery.  It is an oil painting. 

©  Garry Stuckey, New Zealand

It is signed and also has the artist's name and address on the back in faded writing.  It also has picture framer's sticker on the back.  This reads, 'Robert R. Nelson' and gives the address, 19 South Hanover street.

I was thrilled to come up with your info on the Truefitts on the internet.  I did wonder if  my portrait could be a self portrait,  as the lady I have is a widow.

I wonder if there are any photos around of Frances Truefitt that you know of?

With the artist's name and address on the back of the portrait, it simply says 'Portrait of a Lady'.  Perhaps Frances Truefitt had a sitters book."

Garry Stuckey:  May 2005

 Portrait by Frances Truefitt

Answer

Garry:

Unfortunately, I don't know of any photos of Frances Truefitt that you might be able to compare the painting above with, and I don't know of any Truefitt sitter's book that has survived.

However, today, I received a message from Geoff Truefitt, Melbourne, Australia.

Geoff wrote

"The painting that you have may be Frances Truefitt`s Mother Frances (Muir) Truefitt.

That would have been about the time William Truefitt had died, age 92.  Frances Muir his wife would have been about 50."

Geoff Truefitt, Melbourne, Australia:  October 3, 2009

My only observation is that if the painting is of Frances Truefitt's mother, is it likely that the picture would have been given the title: 'Portrait of a Lady'?

Garry Stuckey:  May 2005