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The Life and Training of Abraham Delanoy

Abraham Delanoy was a portrait painter whose technical foundation was built in the studios of London. Born in 1742, he traveled to England to study under the history painter Benjamin West. This move was significant; he was the second American to seek instruction from West. His presence in London placed him in the orbit of major figures of the era, and he may even be one of the young men depicted in Matthew Pratt's painting, The American School.

The training he received under West provided a level of formal instruction that was rare for colonial artists. While many of his contemporaries worked through apprenticeship or self-instruction, Delanoy’s time in London gave him a specific stylistic lineage. He returned to the colony of New York after his studies, bringing these European methods back to the American colonies. His career was defined by this tension between his formal London education and the practical demands of the New York portrait market.

Family Connections and Early Life

Abraham Delanoy’s lineage was rooted in the foundational layers of New Amsterdam. As a descendant of the De Lanoys, one of the earliest settler families in the region, his background was tied to the merchant and tradesperson class. His ancestry included Abraham De Lanoy, who married Cornelia Toll Duyckinck, a connection that linked him to the limner Evert Duyckinck III. This familial tie to an established artistic line suggests that his professional direction was not a random occurrence but a consequence of his social and domestic environment.

The weight of his family name carried significant political and social capital in the colony of New York. His great-uncle, Peter Delanoy, held the position of the first elected mayor of New York City during the transition from Dutch to English rule. Such high-level connections likely facilitated his access to influential circles, including the Beekman family. These relatives provided the essential patronage required to sustain a career in portraiture, ensuring his work reached the hands of the colonial elite.

His early existence is often viewed through the lens of his contemporaries. He may even be one of the figures depicted in Matthew Pratt’s painting, The American School. This possibility places him within a specific historical moment of American artistic development, even if his individual identity remains partially obscured by the collective nature of such group portraits. His origins were not merely a matter of birth, but a convergence of merchant wealth, political legacy, and established artistic tradition.

Professional Career and Patronage

Delanoy’s professional trajectory was marked by a pragmatic, almost restless, pursuit of commissions. Upon returning from London, he did not rely solely on his training; he supplemented his income by selling wines and other foodstuffs. This dual existence as both an artist and a merchant suggests a man navigating the economic realities of the colonial era with blunt efficiency. By 1767, he was actively advertising his services in the New-York Journal or the General Advertiser, establishing a presence in the New York market. His reach extended beyond the city, as he traveled toward the West in 1768 in search of work.

His success was tied to specific social networks rather than broad fame. He secured patronage among members of the Beekman family, a connection that provided a steady stream of commissions. This reliance on established families was a necessity for survival in the colonial art market. Later, between 1784 and 1787, his professional footprint moved to New Haven, where he advertised his services once again. This period of activity was temporary; by 1787, he sold his shop and left New Haven, eventually settling in Westchester before his death.