Girl Puts Doll to Bed

Painting by H. Hargrove

I found this painting on eBay in an auction titled, "Black Girl Puts Doll to Bed." After seeing a completed sold auction for the same painting, I searched for another one and found this painting for less.

This is another view of the painting in a photo taken by the seller.

This framed serigraph on canvas painting, signed H. Hargrove measures 12 x 16 inches.  Set in a child's bedroom, the main subject is a little girl kneeling on an oval rug as she puts her doll to bed in its cradle. Her trusty dog looks on. A white ruffled Priscilla curtain tied back with a white bow covers the window. A teddy bear and rocking horse sit on the window sill. Her own bed is covered with a colorful quilt. A framed painting of a teddy bear holding a balloon bouquet adorns the wall behind the bed.

Because of the subject and her inanimate companion (the doll), I chose to use the buy-it-now purchase method even though there was a "make offer" choice. The price was already low ($19.99) with first-class postage of $4.80, so I did not want to insult the seller with a lower offer. (How the seller managed to use first-class postage for the oversized, heavy box that was stuffed to the brim with loose shredded paper remains a mystery to me. I had a time cleaning up the shredded paper that spilled onto the kitchen floor and was all over the picture that the seller had loosely wrapped with bubble wrap.  Sweeping and vacuuming ensued both inside and outside where I finally took the box to transfer the shredded paper into a large trash bag. What a mess!)

I googled "H. Hargrove" and found the artist's website where I read his biography. Born in Italy in 1941, he immigrated to the United States in 1964. A box of colored pencils at age 10 is what inspired his love of art. I contacted the administrator of the artist's website to ask the name of the painting and the year the original was painted. Their lengthy reply is copied below:

Thank you for visiting the H. Hargrove web site. H. Hargrove has created over 700 wonderful images in the past 25 years. For information on the current value and title of your painting and to obtain an appraisal certified or replacement certificates of authenticity by the H. Hargrove Studio you can contact the recommended Gallery or representative you purchased your painting from and they should be happy to assist you. There is also a website www.hargrovepaintings.com that has a service to connect buyers and sellers of Hargrove paintings in the secondary market and is not affiliated with the H. Hargrove Studio. We suggest going to this site to research your painting only. It's a good site to help you find the title of a particular painting if you prefer to do your own research. If you prefer to use a service to research your painting and issue a certificate with the current secondary market value or a replacement certificate of authenticity, we offer that service for a nominal fee. If you purchased your painting from the H. Hargrove Signature Gallery or you are a Hargrove National Guild member you can mail a photo or color copy of your painting and we will be happy to research its history and value for you free of charge, (Guild members please include your membership number limited to 3 submissions per mailing). If you purchased or obtained your Hargrove painting from any other source and prefer us research it for you, we will be happy to do so. The fee for this service is $15, which will include your appraisal certificate for up to 3 submissions. Mail a photo of the Hargrove painting along with a check payable to H. Hargrove LLC (no phone calls or email attachments accepted) H. Hargrove LLC 1551 North Bay Ave., Toms River, NJ 08753. To join the H. Hargrove Guild and have you painting researched for free, go to the artist website: www.hhargrove.com and click on Join the Guild. All the best, Debbie Sturiano H.Hargrove Studio

I visited the suggested website and found it to be a for-sale site for H. Hargrove paintings. A painting like mine was not listed. I took the time to do my own research by browsing all eBay listings of H. Hargrove paintings. A listing titled, H. Hargrove Framed Oil Painting Certified Original “Lullaby" resulted. So Lullaby it is! On the back of the painting written in pencil is 95-, which is possibly the original price.

I did not own Black dolls during my childhood. This painting, however, reminds me of doll play in my childhood bedroom that at one time had a white Priscilla-drape-covered window.

Artist's Biography

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There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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