This William Matthew Prior portrait is entitled "Little child with big dog. The child has quite long hair. Longer than we have generally seen for boys in the 1840s. The necklace does not identify the child as a girl; such beads were worn by children of both genders to avert the croup. On the contrary, the attributes of the child in blue-plumed hat, knife, whip, the large dog itself-suggest the strength, discipline, mischief, and command of a boy child." The toy whip seems to suggest a boy. The chilsd appears to be holding a bottle. I'm not sure about ther significance of that. HBC has, however, no information on who the child is or his age. The portrait was probably painted about 1848.
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