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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Artwork under copy…
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Artwork under copyright: Artwork © Mitchell Jamieson.
Dusting off the Elephants
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Artwork under copy…
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Artwork under copyright: Artwork © Mitchell Jamieson.

Dusting off the Elephants

Object numberMO 1941.3.285
Name Painting
Artist (American painter, 1915-1976)
Date1940
Mediumpainting: paper, paint (watercolor)
frame: wood, plastic (acrylic), paint, paper (mat board)
Dimensionsframe H 23 3/4 in x W 29 5/8 in x D 7/8 in (60.3 cm x 75.2 cm x 2.2 cm )
DescriptionA watercolor painting of circus elephants. It depicts three elephants on a dirt surface under a walled-off tent canopy. Two of the elephants are standing while the third lays on its side and is being dusted off by a circus worker. The painting is signed by the artist in the lower right: Mitchell Jamieson.

The painting is matted, glazed, and framed in a non-original 1" white-painted wood frame.
Label TextIn May 1940, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr. commissioned artist Mitchell Jamieson to do a series of watercolor paintings of the Morgenthau property in East Fishkill, New York. Secretary and Mrs. Morgenthau were so pleased by the paintings that they arranged a similar commission of paintings of Hyde Park, New York to gift to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Jamieson completed 27 paintings in June 1940 while staying at a cottage on the Roosevelts' Val-Kill property. The paintings depict local scenes, the surrounding countryside, and the areas around Springwood, Top Cottage, and Val-Kill. During Jamieson’s stay in Hyde Park, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was performing in neighboring Poughkeepsie, New York. This painting of the circus is one of several that did not strictly fall within his commission to paint Hyde Park scenes. Jamieson, however, decided to include it in the group of paintings.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteDonated as a bequest of Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in 1947.
Credit LineEstate of Franklin D. Roosevelt
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesHudson River Valley Materials (National Archives Identifier 778818)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - FullyCopyright© Mitchell Jamieson / 1940. Copyright or other proprietary rights are held by individuals or entities other than the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum does not warrant that the use of these materials will not infringe on the rights of third parties holding the rights to these works, or make any representations or warranties with respect to the application or terms of any international agreement, treaty, or protections that may apply. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy any copyright or other use restrictions. Pertinent regulations can be found at 36 C.F.R 1254.62.
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