Agnes Jeffrey Collection
Dublin Core
Title
Agnes Jeffrey Collection
Description
A biography of the artist, Agnes Jeffrey, by her niece, Virginia Jeffrey Smith, who gave the paintings to SUNY Geneseo in Agnes Jeffrey's memory:
"Agnes Jeffrey was born in Edinburgh March 1806 and died in Rochester, NY, November, 1896. She was the third child of John Jeffrey, a leading barrister (lawyer) of Edinburgh and of Elizabeth McConnel, his wife. The family lived in York Place, Edinburgh, a very beautiful Georgian house which I have seen. They also have a summer place in Wigtownshire, going there each year by a three day's drive in their coach. She and her sisters painted and she studied painting in Edinburgh and then in London. Her watercolor "American wild flowers" took the first prize at the Crystal Palace- England's first world fair. She came to America, probably in the 1840s, to keep house for her widowed mother and two brothers who had preceded her to America and lived in Canadaigua. Her art was undoubtedly influenced by Raeburn, Scotland's chief artist who had painted portraits of her father and uncle. Her brother William, a leading attorney, who had come to the United States to act as agent for Mr. John Geig of Canadaigua in the Phelps Gorham Estate (land development), later moved to Rochester opening his own practice. Upon the death of his wife, Agnes came to Rochester to live, caring for his children, especially the two little girls- Clarice Greig Jeffrey, also a painter and who taught painting at the old Mechanics Institute, and Mary, also an artist who later married A. Byron Smith and became my mother. Four generations of the Jeffrey family have painted professionally. After her brother's death, and his property lost through mismanagement by his executor, she supported the two girls for years by painting and teaching art. A woman of intellectual ability, she was in authority in botany and on the Bible, teaching a Bible class most of her life. At the age of seventy she decided [she] wanted to read Dante in the original and began the study of Italian and learned to speak it as well as to read it fluently."
"Agnes Jeffrey was born in Edinburgh March 1806 and died in Rochester, NY, November, 1896. She was the third child of John Jeffrey, a leading barrister (lawyer) of Edinburgh and of Elizabeth McConnel, his wife. The family lived in York Place, Edinburgh, a very beautiful Georgian house which I have seen. They also have a summer place in Wigtownshire, going there each year by a three day's drive in their coach. She and her sisters painted and she studied painting in Edinburgh and then in London. Her watercolor "American wild flowers" took the first prize at the Crystal Palace- England's first world fair. She came to America, probably in the 1840s, to keep house for her widowed mother and two brothers who had preceded her to America and lived in Canadaigua. Her art was undoubtedly influenced by Raeburn, Scotland's chief artist who had painted portraits of her father and uncle. Her brother William, a leading attorney, who had come to the United States to act as agent for Mr. John Geig of Canadaigua in the Phelps Gorham Estate (land development), later moved to Rochester opening his own practice. Upon the death of his wife, Agnes came to Rochester to live, caring for his children, especially the two little girls- Clarice Greig Jeffrey, also a painter and who taught painting at the old Mechanics Institute, and Mary, also an artist who later married A. Byron Smith and became my mother. Four generations of the Jeffrey family have painted professionally. After her brother's death, and his property lost through mismanagement by his executor, she supported the two girls for years by painting and teaching art. A woman of intellectual ability, she was in authority in botany and on the Bible, teaching a Bible class most of her life. At the age of seventy she decided [she] wanted to read Dante in the original and began the study of Italian and learned to speak it as well as to read it fluently."
Contributor
Virginia Jeffrey Smith
Collection Items
Wisteria
Realism c. 1870s
Received by the college in 1971
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-11
For more information see the Jeffrey Collection description
Received by the college in 1971
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-11
For more information see the Jeffrey Collection description
Ruined Castle
Realism c. 1870
Old Accession number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-12
For more information see the Jeffrey Collection Description
Old Accession number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-12
For more information see the Jeffrey Collection Description
"Scottish Flowers" (Bluebells)
!["Scottish Flowers" (Bluebells)](https://artgalleries.milne-library.org/files/square_thumbnails/a7b487b107fd04ca5fb16144def79a55.jpg ""Scottish Flowers" (Bluebells)")
One of two panel mat with Thistle (1980.42)
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-2.
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-2.
"Scottish Flowers" (Thistle)
!["Scottish Flowers" (Thistle)](https://artgalleries.milne-library.org/files/square_thumbnails/04f6fb484c992ce50abb47e9b3abdf5b.jpg ""Scottish Flowers" (Thistle)")
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870
One of two-panel matte with Bluebells (1980.41)
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-3.
One of two-panel matte with Bluebells (1980.41)
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-3.
Heather
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870.
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-4.
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-4.
"Wintergreen" (Red Berries)
!["Wintergreen" (Red Berries)](https://artgalleries.milne-library.org/files/square_thumbnails/7b781993be34a88d31dca1ea84e88b77.jpg ""Wintergreen" (Red Berries)")
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-5
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-5
Fuschia (Red)
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870.
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-6
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-6
Fuschia
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870.
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-7
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-7
Lily of the Valley
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870.
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-8
For more information on Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-8
Bougainvillaea Vines
Realism. The date of attribution is c. 1870.
Jeffrey's signature is found in the lower right corner.
For more information of Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Signature: LR.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-9
Jeffrey's signature is found in the lower right corner.
For more information of Agnes Jeffrey, see collection description.
Signature: LR.
Old Accession Number: J-2D-JEFFREY-A-9