 |
European and American Art Collected by General Rush Christopher Hawkins for the Annmary Brown Memorial
Early Years of the Memorial: |
In 1953 as she was about to retire, Margaret Stillwell, curator of the Annmary Brown Memorial since 1917, compiled an album of photographs which she entitled "The Annmary Brown Memorial Identification Album." The album is in two parts: the first consists of photographs of family heirlooms, busts and portraits; the second consists of photographs of various
rooms at the Memorial in 1937, 1942, 1948, and 1953. The notes and captions were written by Ms. Stillwell for the album.
PART I
MS. STILLWELL'S NOTE: While General Hawkins was living, he naturally did not wish to dismantle his home in favor of the Memorial. He, therefore, affixed tags to various rugs and fine pieces of furniture, designating on each that it should be sent to the Memorial after his death. he failed, however, to mention this in his will, with the result that none of these designations were honored when his estate was settled. Consequently - in addition to the collections of paintings, books, manuscripts, and personal and Civil War relics (which the General had sent to the Memorial at the time of its founding) - the Memorial received nothing from his home in the way of furnishings except two small Oriental rugs and a few heirlooms, which he had chanced to send here during its early days. These two rugs and the heirlooms are identified in the various photographs contained within this album.
No. 1. Portrait busts of Annmary Brown's grandparents - Nicholas Brown, II (for whom Brown University was named) and his wife Ann (Carter) Brown.
The bust of Mr. Brown was sent to the Memorial by General Hawkins. The bust of Ann (Carter) Brown was the gift of Mr. John Carter Brown Woods.
No. 2. Annmary Brown's father - the Hon. Nicholas Brown III - and various members of his family, comprising: 1) three portrait busts of himself, 2) presumably his first wife, Abby Mason, 3) his eldest daughter who died in infancy, Annmary Brown I, older sister of Annmary (Brown) Hawkins, 4) Carrie Mathilde (Brown) Bajnotti - in whose memory the Carrie Tower was erected by her husband - the younger of Annmary (Brown) Hawkins, 5) seated figure of Annmary Brown I, 6) Robert Grenville Brown, brother of Annmary (Brown) Hawkins, and 7) his second wife, Caroline Mathilde Clements - the mother of Annmary (Brown) Hawkins, and of his other children. Acquired variously from General Hawkins, Mr. John Carter Brown Woods, and the Brown mausoleum at North End Cemetery, Providence
No. 3. Carrie Mathilde (Brown) Bajnotti, the younger sister of Annmary (Brown) Hawkins. Her husband, Sig. Paul Bajnotti of Turin, Italy, erected three memorials in Providence in her honor - a fountain in Roger Williams Park; a fountain in front of the railroad station; and the clock-tower know as the Carrie Tower, on the northwest corner of the Brown campus. (He also left in his wil a sum of money, the interest from which was to be given each year as a dowry to the most virtuous maiden among the common people of Providence. This bequest was declined by the City Fathers.)
No. 4. Portrait bust of Annmary Brown II, who became Mrs. Rush Christopher Hawkins, and was honored after her death by the erection of The Annmary Brown Memorial. The bust was sculptured in Europe, so General Hawkins believed, when she was about twelve years old.
No. 5.
[Photograph of this painting removed from the album]
No. 6. Brown family heirlooms of the 18th century - an embroidered firescreen, and a mirror embellished with a gilt crown, both of which were sent to the Memorial by General Hawkins.
No. 7. Lowestoft china initialed by order Ann (Carter) Brown as a gift for her cousin, Mary Bowen Stelle - hence the initials AB and MBS on several of the pieces. After the early death of Ann (Carter) Brown, her husband - Nicholas Brown II - married her cousin. It was in honor of these two women that the name 'Annmary' was coined. Thus, Annmary Brown was named for her grandmother and step-grandmother.
No. 8. A number of heirlooms inherited by Annmary (Brown) Hawkins. The four Etruscan vases have been dated as early as 300 B.C. The antique, Sheffield candlesticks were originally candelabras; but, as the branches were out of repair, they were removed and stored in one of the lower cupboards in the Reference Room, on the main floor. The Nanking soup tureen was believed by General Hawkins to have been imported by an early member of the Brown family, and the silver soup tureen and ornamental candlesticks to have been brought from Italy by Mrs. Hawkins' parents. The Chippendale sideboard was in their summer home, Choppequonsett, on Gaspee Point, RI. (Incidentally, there are two streets on Gaspee Point, which have been named for Annmary Brown and General Hawkins respectively.)
