My friend had it for a number of years, only to find out from hand-writing on the interior back, that it was painted by the "Mother of St. Petersburgh"(Florida), wife of "General" John C. Williams, one of the main founding fathers of St. Petersburgh, Florida. John & Sarah Williams were both instrumental in St. Petersburg's development.
It's an original oil painting done by Sarah that lived in St. Petersburgh,
Florida in the 1800's. She wrote info on the back interior of her
painting. We can't quite make out some of it. But we can read that she
painted it for her husband "General" John C. Williams, (a Founding father of St. Pete.)
It also says the painting is of her home in St. Petersburgh, Florida.
Also it shows her name (the painter) as Sarah Armistead. This was her married name to a third husband, sometime after Gen. Williams had died.
Photo #1 = The Painting itself
Photo #2 = A photograph of John & Sarah Williams, which is from the St. Petersburg Museum of History. This was taken from the book "Remembering St. Petersburg Florida" by Scott Taylor Hartzell, from which I learned most of the history of the artist (Sarah). [An interesting note: When I saw this photograph for the first time, I realized the man seen in my painting, must be the 'ole 'General' himself. Note the long white beard.]