A fine whimsical American Victorian era oil painting on canvas titled THE TOY TRAIN by JOHN GEORGE BROWN (American 1831-1913) set in gold gilt frame. This is atypical of Brown's work that often depicted children, yet sensibly typical having a children's toy train motif as shown. Signed in lower right J.G. Brown and dated 1872. Measuring approx 16" wide x 10.5" tall overall and image sight size is 6.75" tall x 12" wide. Born into a poor family in Durham, England, John George Brown earned a reputation as one of 19th-century America's most skilled painters of children, especially entrepreneurial, cheerful street urchins who earned a pittance as boot blacks, newspaper vendors, etc. In some circles, he was dubbed the "Boot Black Raphael" because of the glowing faces of his child figures and his skill of execution. His paintings of these sympathy-arousing children were so popular in a Victorian era of increased industrialization that he became rich from painting sales as well as royalties from lithographs. Provenance: from an important Cleveland Ohio private collection, accompanied by original papers from 1983 and info from Exhibition in 1985, see photos.

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