Help with old watercolor

Hi all... I just started collecting art as a new hobby for my anticipated retirement. Made some mistakes getting to this point, but love the "Art world". I have an old watercolor and have no information on ti at all. Can anyone point me in the right direction to find out the artist, age, medium, or any other information?

 

It's large! 3' X 4'

 

Don't think that's a watercolor. It appears to be an enhanced photograph. And someone's recently tarted up the frame with marbling.

Debora

 

What part of the world did you find it in? And what did the seller have to say about it?

Debora

 

Welcome @Budding Collector .

Ditto. A very sweet little boy though.

Moderators, can you move this thread to Ephemera please? That way we will get the right eyes on it.

 

Wow.. I never thought about it being a photo.. I got it at an estate auction in New Jersey. But I do love the scene though.

 

I just took the old wood off the back of it. It looks to me that it is on Linen ,maybe? There is some fabric that is tacked to a stretcher and the picture bleeds through the back... Now I really don't know what I have!

 

He's wearing a white smock under a miniature great coat with cape over which has been affixed with a bar pin a detachable white lace collar. Hat is based on a gentlemen's smoking cap. Probably 1880s.

Debora

 

And also just realized that the tacks holding the wood on the back look to be very old hand made tacks. I think it's looking kind of special..

 

The backing appears to be canvas. You'll want to read this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_camera

Debora

 

Moderators, thank you for moving this thread. But I do think a photo like this will get more photo experts in Ephemera than in Art.

 

@Budding Collector has subsequently posted again in "Ephemera and Photographs".