Featured Priceless early American folk art or Bonfire fodder?

Was picking something up I had purchased online over the summer, seller was a real estate agent clearing the garage of a property it turned out. She offered me some of the contents gratis. Nothing really worth taking but this piece was hanging on the wall. It was in an old town. I kept trying to ignore it but at the last second I took it down to look at. Then I kept trying to leave it there and just couldn’t. I’m trying to acquire less stuff but it kept calling to me. Anyone see anything beyond a funny image here? I keep thinking it’s trash or $5 to some kooky person online but then I think there’s like a .005% chance it’s something cool. Just someone farting around at some point yeh? Too fun looking not to share either way.

 

I know this chap! He’s rather famous, a priest I believe— this is a grave portrait. If no one knows him before morning GMT I’ll find him in my books for you
EDIT: I remembered! It’s Jonathan Pierpont, “painful, faithful, useful and humble minister of Reading.”

 

I'm ever astonished at what folks around here know.

 

To add to @Van_Poperin's point, this is the image on his grave marker upon which your image is derived.
http://www.vastpublicindifference.com/2009/05/rev-jonathan-pierpont-of-wakefield.html

 

Impressed, thanks! Sounds like a great guy. I wonder how old my interpretation is. Looks like someone gave him a raspberry beret and blue eyes at a later point.

Edit: and by beret I mean yarmulke I guess. Little small for a beret.

 

Beauty of a stone!

 

How awesome is that find?? Wow!

 

The eyes are amazing in the top image.

 

Age I can’t guess— except to say that the precision of the eyelids compared with the freedom if the pupils looks like a 20th century aesthetic choice to me— I tend to think even amateur Victorian work was a little more “controlled” and the paints look synthetic to my eye, so not older that Victorian? I hope you don’t put him on a bonfire!! #SavePainfulPierpont

 

Wow Van, you're the ... uhm woman!

 

I leave this here: useful insofar as it talks a bit about style and background.

 

Very interesting information about Rev. Pierpont, as I live in Wakefield, and go by the cemetary almost on a daily basis. It is a walking destination for many people.

At some point, I shall have to do a walk-through myself to find Rev. Pierpont.

 

Excellent identification! The book looks interesting, too.

 

I have found it very useful— I took these exerts from googlebooks where you can browse the title a bit if you’re thinking of buying