John Mare (1739-1802) Rare and important documented colonial portrait of John Torey. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated in the lower left "J o/n. Mare Pinxt. 1768". A Colonial artist, John Mare left only thirteen paintings that have been documented, although it is said he painted about 20 canvases. His painting of John Keteltas with a fly sitting on the cuff of the subject is likely the first "trompe l'oeil" (fool the eye) painting in America. Nothing is known of his art training. From 1759 to 1778, he was active in Albany, New York, and between 1769 and 1771, he was in Montreal, Canada where he painted a portrait, of Rene-Ovide Hertel de Rouville, one of the first two French-Canadian judges to be named by the British. This painting is in the McCord Museum of Canadian History in Montreal. He was also active in New York City between 1760 and 1772 and painted many prominent residents of the city and landowners along the Hudson River. One of his subjects was King George III, a painting that is lost but was commissioned by the Common Council of New York City. In 1772, he moved to Albany, and then between 1777 and 1778, gave up painting and moved to Edenton, North Carolina and became a successful businessman, as well as postmaster, justice of the peace and town treasurer. An illustration of a John Mare painting may be found on pp. 365 in the November 1970 issue of "Antiques" magazine; "John Mare: New York Portrait Painter with Notes on the Two William Williams'", written by Helen Burr Smith. His work is in the collections of the New York Historical Society, the Metropolitan Museum and Historic Deerfield. SOURCE: Falk "Who Was Who in American Art. Condition: Excellent condition. Relined. Minimal in-painting. Inspected under UV light. Frame H 34" W 28". Canvas H 30" W 24". Copy and paste link for high-res images: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jv1fpdntu2lcrrp/AACRyvFUTkmzPAGv-DHMoIm8a?dl=0