Nelson Cook
Nelson Cook
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  • Biography
  • As a Portraitist
  • Portraits
    • Canada: 1830-1834
    • Canada: 1835-1838
    • New York: 1839-1844
    • New York: 1845-1848
    • New York: 1849-1851
    • New York: 1852-1853
    • New York: 1854-1856
    • New York: 1857-1859
    • New York: 1860's
    • New York: 1870's
    • New York: 1880's+
    • New York: Unknown Dates
  • A Closer Look: Hobby Gray
  • Letters From Canada
  • Nelson Cook & Dr. Bemis
  • Preserving Cook's Legacy
  • Identifying Cook Sitters
  • Timeline
  • Is It A Cook?
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Dedications

Resources

Primary Sources

Family letters, almost exclusively from Nelson Cook to his brother Ransom, provided most of the biographical detail on the artist and on some of the portraits, although Nelson wrote more about business, family and personal matters than about his artwork. These letters are in the possession of the Historical Society of Saratoga Springs, NY; NY State Archives, Albany; and the Thomas Davenport Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.


In addition, family photographs and some documents were provided by descendants of Nelson Cook. The Brookside Museum, Ballston Spa, NY, now holds a small collection of Cook family volumes: Bible (1845), Episcopal Book of Common Prayer (1850), An American Dictionary (1855), and a Cook Family [Photographic] Album (some of these photos are included in the Biography section).

Secondary Sources

The great number of individuals painted by Cook and featured here required countless secondary sources to develop their brief biographies. These include standard history and art reference works, monographs, periodicals, and innumerable websites. We are also indebted to individuals holding Cook portraits in private collections who have shared information on those sitters. Works of particular help include the following:

  • American Paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vol II, by Natalie Spassky
  • American Portraits 1800-1850: A Catalogue of Early Portraits in the Collections of Union College, by Rita Feigenbaum (1972)
  • The Book of Costume, Vol II, by Millia Davenport (1948)
  • N.B. Sylvester, History of Saratoga County, New York, 1609-1878 (Evarts & Ensign, Phila.; 1878)
  • Barbara Snyder, "Nelson Cook in Canada," Canadian Collector (Sep/Oct 1976), pp. 20-22.

Research Assistance from Institutions

We appreciate assistance received from the directors, curators, librarians and other staff of these historic and art institutions, many of whom went out of their way to help with research and portrait image placement.

  • Ana Alba - Alba Conservation Services
  • Archives, Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Toronto
  • Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto *
  • Bethesda Episcopal Church, Saratoga Springs, NY
  • British National Portrait Gallery, London *
  • Buffalo State College (NY) Art Conservation Department
  • Caldwell-Lake George Library, Lake George, NY *
  • Canton Museum of Art, OH *
  • City of Rome, NY (Mayor John R. Mazzaferro)
  • City of Toronto Archives
  • Clinton County Historian, Plattsburgh, NY
  • Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford *
  • Fine Art Investigations, Patricia Moss
  • Frick Art Reference Library, New York City
  • Genesee Country Village and Museum, Mumford, NY *
  • Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta *
  • Hamilton College, Clinton, NY
  • Heritage Hunters of Saratoga County (Ruth Ann Messick)
  • Historical Society of Saratoga Springs, NY *
  • Hudson's Bay Company Archives, Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Library of Congress, Washington, DC (Bruce Kirby, Manuscript Reference Librarian)
  • McCord Museum of Canadian History, Montreal, Quebec *
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York *
  • Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library
  • Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, NY
  • Nana's Online Collectibles, Antiques and Fine Art
  • National Archives of Canada, Ottawa *
  • National Gallery of Canada *
  • Newburgh Historical Society, NY
  • New York State Historical Association
  • New York State Museum
  • North Carolina Museum of Art
  • NorthwestBooks.net, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
  • Onondaga Historical Association Museum, Syracuse, NY *
  • Rensselaer County Historical Society, Troy, NY
  • Rochester Historical Society, NY *
  • Rome Historical Society, NY
  • Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto *
  • Saratoga Springs Public Library (Saratoga Room) NY
  • Sheffield Historical Society, MA *
  • Shelburne Museum, VT *
  • Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC
  • Toronto Historical Association
  • Union College Collection, Schenectady, NY *
  • Upper Canada College, Toronto *
  • Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario *
  • West Lake Conservators, Ltd., Skaneateles, NY
  • Whitby Chamber of Commerce, Whitby, Ontario, Canada


* institutional owner of at least one Nelson Cook portrait

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