Portrait of Julia Barton Hunting by Ammi Phillips, circa 1830

Ammi Phillips was a self-taught, itinerant portrait painter, working in Connecticut, Massachusetts and eastern New York. His earliest works date from around 1811--he worked until his death in 1865. Approximately 500 portraits are attributed to Phillips. Like other "Folk" painters, he used standardized poses to increase production, but always added personalized touches to each. Such is the case with this portrait of Julia Barton Hunting (1807-1881). Julia's simple, yet elegantly composed dress, with a decorative lace collar is a stock form, but Phillips carefully and meticulously individualized her face and hair. She is seated in a decoratively painted "Hitchcock" type chair, a fashionable chair at that time. Julia's pose is intended to emphasize the detailing of the chair, indicating her awareness of current fashions.

Mrs. Barton's portrait was paired with a portrait of her husband, Morgan Hunting (1805-1868) also in the collection of The Henry Ford. These may have been commissioned as wedding portraits of the couple. The Huntings lived in Pine Plains, Dutchess County, New York, and raised five children. In 1849, they moved to Courtland Township, Kent County, Michigan.