Nice to get a nibble on this thread after so many years! Ella would be amused.

Bob-

I'm delighted that you've come up with a related song. Ella did perform for years as a professional minstrel singer in the late 19th century and no doubt had access to a wide range of sources. The painting of Ella by my grandmother is certainly striking. One personal thing I can add is the tiny locket on her necklace has an image of her daughter who died at a very young age. I did find an image of Ella on the stage in a performance of PORGY from a New York City Public Library archives from around 1929. She was a great source of songs, and love, and made a lasting impression on my mother.

Jim-

Thanks for updating the URL. There's definitely a cubist painting in the background of the painting, which is set in my grandparents' apartment on West 10th Street in Greenwich Village. I'll have to check with Dahlov and see if she can further identify it.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble