Ira Chaffee Goodell
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Ira Chaffee Goodell (July 3, 1800–April 19, 1877) was an American folk artist and portrait painter.[1][2]
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He was born on July 3, 1800, in Dwight, Massachusetts, North Belchertown, the first of the twelve children of Moses Goodell (1777-1854) and Susannah T. Pettengill (1778-1848).
He obtained a common school education locally at Dwight, trained as an attorney, then worked as a schoolteacher and in the carriage trade before studying art and moving to New York. His brother was architect Nathaniel Dudley Goodell.
He married Adelia Mary Cronin on May 31, 1832, in Hudson, New York. Their first child, Angelo Byron, was born on May 30, 1833. They removed to New York City the following year on April 8, 1834. Angelo died that July. "Delia" had six children most of whom died.
Goodell painted hundreds of portraits, including those of family members in Belchertown. As late as 1874, he reportedly charged the same fee of $10 per portrait that he had charged forty years prior.
"In this City, thirty years ago there were nearly two hundred Portrait Painters," Ira wrote in a letter to his sister-in-law. "Now, I doubt if there is fifty, and nearly all of these are of the first class artists and are patronised by the Wealthy, paying from three to five hundred dollars apiece.—I think Hard Times and Photography, has Slain Common Portrait Painters."[3]
The family lived in numerous apartments across Lower Manhattan for the remainder of their lives. Ira participated in many mid-nineteenth century "intellectual pursuits" such as phrenology, mesmerism, clairvoyance and phonography.[4]
Ira painted an indelible portrait of early to mid-nineteenth century life in the well-defined, rural Massachusetts village into which he was born by writing hundreds of colorful letters, many of which are preserved. He captured the personalities and events of his life and wrote to family members to whom he remained devoted, especially his nephew Lafayette W. Goodell.[5]
His artwork continues to be collected today.[6]
