AFA Winter 2019

Winter 106 www.afamag.com |  www.incollect.com stable, if modest, family. His father held a responsible job at the United States Armory (founded by George Washington in 1777) from 1814 to 1843, which provided a substantial living. When he was just eleven years old, Stock’s life changed completely. He described the event in his journal: [I was] standing near the body of an ox cart leaned nearly upright against the barn when suddenly I perceived it falling . . . which I attempted to push back and was crushed under it. I experienced no pain at the time . . . other than a numbness in my legs which were powerless. [All] the medical men in town pronounced it to be an injury of the spine . . . which wholly destroyed all the nerves proceeding from the spinal cord . . . and destroyed all action and sensation in the lower extremities . . . The survival rate for patients with “complete paraplegia” was very low at the time. Stock received medical treatment almost immediately, however, recalling that, after the accident, he was “ carried into the house where all the medical men in town were soon gathered .” Stock’s first doctor, William Little Loring (1792–1843), was instrumental in Stock ’s recovery. While Stock and his family understood the need for him to have a career, it was Dr. Loring who f irst realized that portrait painting might be such an option, quite possibly saving Stock from a desultory and useless life. The artist worked bedridden for a few years, painting portraits, and, as he later recorded, his talents were “ noised [shared] abroad, ” suggesting some success. In about 1834, he came to the attention of another doctor who would impact his life and career directly. James Gilchrist Swan (1794–1846) graduated from Harvard College and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia before relocating to Springf ield, where he commissioned the artist to create drawings of skeletons and illustrations for his phrenological studies. In addition, Swan Joseph Whiting Stock (1815–1855), attributed, Little Child with Flower Book, ca. 1845. Oil on canvas, 33⅛ x 27¼ inches. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, New York; Gift of Stephen C. Clark (N0296.1961). Photograph by Richard Walker. The attribution of this portrait to Joseph Whiting Stock is based on a stylistic comparison with the documented portrait of Helen Eddy (painted in Springfield in 1845, Private Collection.) These two likenesses display the markedly similar facial features— large, dark eyes and dimples—details that give many of Stock’s children pleasingly innocent expressions. In this portrait, Stock departed from his usual method of placing children in detailed interior settings by depicting this young subject against a dark, neutral background. The resulting contrast with the child’s white dress makes this a strong composition, enhanced by the large size of the canvas.