The Independence Seaport Museum has officially transferred ownership of a portrait from 1815 to the historic Andalusia estate in Bensalem, ending a long-standing case of mistaken identity, writes Peter Crimmins for WHYY.  

The painting, depicting Adèle Sigoigne, was purchased by the Seaport Museum nearly 20 years ago for $46,000.  

Initially, the museum believed Adèle was a poor child from Haiti found on the Delaware River docks, later adopted by a Philadelphia family.  

However, recent research revealed that Adèle was actually from a wealthy family in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti).  

Adèle and her mother, Aimee Sigoigne, settled in Philadelphia, where Aimee founded a finishing school for young women. Adèle befriended Jane Craig, who later married into the prominent Biddle family. 

 The Seaport Museum had loaned the painting to Andalusia since 2014 due to its stronger connection to the Biddle family than to maritime history. 

“It’s an ‘oops.’ Every museum has them,” said Seaport Museum CEO Peter Seibert. 

John Vick, executive director of Andalusia, praised the transfer. “It really belongs here,” he said, noting the painting’s significance in telling the story of the women of the Biddle lineage. 

This transfer will allow Andalusia to further explore and present the historical connections and friendships that shaped the estate’s legacy. 

Read more about the Adèle Sigoigne portrait in WHYY.  

The History of Andalusia House & Garden – You Oughta Know (2020)