The Bell Homestead National Historic Site recently received two original Bell family portraits.
The homestead received a painting of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell’s mother, Eliza Grace Bell, painted in the 1850s and an oil pastel portrait of Mary Starr, Alexander Graham Bell’s great-great-great grandmother, painted in the 18th century.
“We are extremely grateful to the donors of these beautiful portraits,” said Brian Wood, Curator of the Bell Homestead National Historic Site. “Acquiring original Bell family artifacts like these, truly brings the family’s unique story to life for visitors to the museum. It helps to recreate the home where Dr. Bell discovered his greatest invention, the telephone, 150 years ago.”
The exquisite oil painting of Alexander Graham Bell’s mother, Eliza Grace Bell, was given to the Bell Homestead NHS on a long-term loan. The loan is in memory of the late Joan Blair Sullivan, who was a great-granddaughter of Alexander and Mabel Bell, and was loaned by her sons, Paul and Graham Sullivan. The portrait was painted in the 1850s and travelled great distances. It went from the Bell’s home in Scotland to Mrs. Bell’s brother in Australia. Then in 1906, the painting was sent to the telephone inventor by his Australian cousin and was eventually passed down through three generations of Bell descendants. The portrait spent many years in the Sullivan’s home in Pennsylvania, before recently arriving in Brantford.
In addition, with the kind generosity of Dr. Bell’s great grandson, David Fairchild, the Bell Homestead NHS welcomed a lovely 18th century oil pastel portrait of Mary Starr, Alexander Graham Bell’s great-great-great grandmother on his mother’s side. Drawn by an unknown artist, the portrait would have been prized by Eliza Bell, an artist in her own right, and displayed in the Bell’s Brantford home during their 11 years here. The portrait travelled with the family to Washington, D.C. in 1881 and after Mrs. Bell’s passing in 1897, passed through four generations of the family, spending many years in Florida until it was taken to the Bell’s home on Cape Breton Island.
In September, it was given to Homestead curator, Brian Wood, to bring back to Brantford. Despite its travels, the portrait has retained its vivid colours. It is currently receiving conservation treatment to stabilize the over 200-year-old paper upon which the portrait appears. It will proudly be exhibited once again in the Homestead upon completion in early 2025.
Since 1910, the Bell Homestead National Historic Site has welcomed thousands of visitors from all parts of the world about the life led by the Bell family during their eleven years in Brantford and the surroundings that provided the inspiration for the invention of the telephone. Dr. Bell and his descendants have kindly provided the means to do this through the donation or loan of over 400 original family artifacts including these portraits.
