Maine’s Mona Lisa Portrait of Penobscot Indian Sarah Molasses restored, prominently displayed at Bangor Public Library

Sarah Molasses, a Penobscot Indian who lived in the early 19th century, is best known for her lineage. She was the daughter of Lt. Gov. John Neptune, leader of the Penobscot tribe during the 1800s, and famed Penobscot shaman Molly Molasses. In her day, some called Sarah a “princess.” But for the most part, she has been lost to history. “No one ever mentioned her as in any way remarkable,” wrote the noted Maine folklorist Fannie Hardy Eckstrom in her 1945 book “Old John Neptune and Other Maine Indian Shamans.”

But Sarah, who was born in the 1790s, is back and this time she’s the toast of the town. At Monday’s City Council meeting, the mayor and city officials celebrated Sarah Molasses as one of Bangor’s most comely treasures – her image, that is. A newly restored portrait of Sarah, dressed in beaded jewelry and ruffled clothing, was painted in 1835 by Eckstrom’s uncle, the renowned Bangor artist Jeremiah Hardy. The work, which some dubbed “Maine’s Mona Lisa,” will hang indefinitely in the Bangor Public Library near portraits of her parents.

Monday night’s proclamation also recognized the Julius Lowy Co. in New York City for the restoration, the Tarratine Club for its dedication to Bangor history, and Brad Shar, vice president at Lowy and son of a Bangor physician, for performing the actual restoration – an estimated $10,000 job – as a donation to the city.

“I absolutely love this painting,” said Jean Deighan, a Tarratine Club member who originally promoted the idea of the restoration.

“Bangor has a stellar history and this painting is emblematic of that history. It was painted in Bangor’s heyday. We were a world-class city at that time. We had great things that came out of that history: the symphony, the historical society, our valuing of education. We lost our way for a while, and I would like to see us find our way. We can look to the past to be inspired for the future. Sarah looks out at us in all her beautiful finery, and she is a lightning rod. She leads the parade.”

The Tarratine Club was formed in 1884 by a group of Bangor businessmen, including Maine Gov. and U.S. Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, who died on one of the couches in the club. (The couch is also on display at the library.) It was a social club for men and, at its strongest, had a membership of 200 people.

Most identify the club with the elegant brick building it erected on Park Street, which the group sold in 1991. Its membership had dwindled to 12 – Deighan is the only female member – and the building was too costly to maintain.

At that time, the club owned a collection of paintings, furniture and other historic items, much of which were sold. Other pieces, such as the portrait of Sarah, were lent to the Bangor library or museums in the state. “Sarah,” as the portrait is called, has been on display at both Bar Harbor’s Abbe Museum and theBangor Historical Society. She now occupies a position of honor outside of the director’s office at the Bangor library and is accessible to everyone.

“We’re very happy she can be where people in Bangor can see her,” said Barbara McDade, the library’s director. “She is an outstanding work by Jeremiah Hardy, but it’s also interesting to see someone from that era. That’s when Bangor was at its peak. On one hand, she looks very innocent. On the other hand, she is well-dressed, wealthy and influential.”

When “Sarah” arrived at Lowy Co. in April, however, she was in bad shape.

“The painting has been restored many times,” said Brad Shar, who had the work for six months. “It had a flaking problem. The surface was dried out to a detrimental level. The varnish on the surface wasn’t doing its job. It’s a very charming picture. We made it look as good as it possibly can.”

During her stay in New York, “Sarah” shared studio space that has, in the past, been occupied with works by Picasso, Norman Rockwell, Childe Hassan and John Singer Sargent that were undergoing restoration.

But greatness has been no stranger to “Sarah,” who hung in the Tarratine Club for many years presiding over all club events, such as Hamlin’s cribbage matches, weddings (including Deighan’s) and pig roasts.

Now, however, she is greatness.

“We love her! She’s gorgeous,” said Deighan.

Alicia Anstead can be reached at 990-8266 and aanstead@bangordailynews.net.