Attention all historians and Civil War collectors - Hess fine Auctions is thrilled to offer for your consideration, this OUTSTANDING Civil War Union Solider portrait of explorer Colonel John C. Fremont by the Jewish American artist Solomon Nunes Carvalho who traveled with Col. Fremont's Last Expedition, during the winter of 1853-54, through the territories of Kansas, Colorado, and Utah searching for a railroad route to the Pacific.

Painted with oils on board, the painting measures approximately 14” high x 12” wide, with the artists signature and date in the lower left corner in red (please see photos), S.N. Carvalho, within a floral decorated gilded gesso and wood frame with a dome window, measuring approximately 20 ¾” high x 18 ¾” wide x 2 3/8” deep.
The reverse of the portrait is beautifully inscribed in calligraphic lettering of the era as follows;
Painted and presented to the Metropolitan Fair for the benefit the Sick and Wounded Soldiers New York 21st March 1864 by Carvalho .
With artist board label; Prepared Mill-Board, Winsor & Newton, ARTIST’ COLOURMEN, Co Per Majesty, and to, His Royal Highness Prince /Albert, 38, Rathbone Place, London
Darkened by the last century of mellowed varnish, the painting was dismantled from it original gilded gesso and wood frame for better observation and photographing, exhibiting typical cracklure throughout, with edge wear rubbing to painting from frame. Frame suffers typical gesso and edge wear with scattered paint losses. Notice that the bright photos were taken with flash photography to better show detail. < BR >Paintings by artist Solomon Nunes Carvalho hang in the National Gallery and information on this historical Jewish artist can be found in the Library of Congress.

Absolutely OUTSTANDING MUSEUM PIECE offered WITHOUT RESERVE with a starting bid of only 99 cents! Good luck on your bid!

Please view our many detailed photos and read on for some brief biographies.

Solomon Nunes Carvalho was born in Charleston, South Carolina, into a Jewish family of Spanish-Portuguese descent. Carvalho worked as both a painter and a photographer. During the winter of 1853-54, Carvalho accompanied the explorer John C. Frémont through the territories of Kansas, Colorado, and Utah searching for a railroad route to the Pacific. The daguerreotypes that Carvalho took on this expedition no longer exist. It is believed that the copy daguerreotype of an Indian village that came to the Library with the Brady collection was made from one of Carvalho's daguerreotypes.

Major John C. Frémont (1813-90), popularly admired for his mapmaking expeditions to the West, was court-martialed on grounds of mutiny and disobeying orders on January 31, 1848. General Stephen Kearny brought charges against Frémont when a dispute arose over who held governing authority in California—a region that had been recently ceded to the United States by Mexico in accordance with the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty.

In recognition of his role in the occupation of California, Commodore Robert F. Stockton appointed Frémont military governor of California in 1847. Meanwhile, federal authorities sent General Kearny to California to establish a government. Tension developed between Kearny and Stockton, with Frémont siding with Stockton. In August 1847, Kearny ordered Frémont arrested and charged with insubordination. Frémont was found guilty by a court martial and subjected to penalties, including removal from the army. Although this decision was reversed by President James K. Polk, Frémont chose to resign his commission.

In spite of this episode, Frémont retained his popularity and esteem with the American public. He and his wife Jesse Benton Frémont, daughter of Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton, remained in California at their Mariposa County estate. During the Gold Rush, Frémont became a multimillionaire. His well-publicized explorations of the West and his exploits in California's rebellion against Mexico contributed to his election as one of California's first senators in 1850.

In 1855, the Frémonts settled in New York. Frémont had established a reputation as an outspoken abolitionist. On June 17, 1856, the Republican Party nominated Frémont as their first presidential candidate. Frémont campaigned as the "Pathfinder" who would lead the country out of the shame of slavery.

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