Maverick Mist

The Artist’s Wife and Daughter Beatrice (1904)
William Sergeant Kendall
American (1869-1938)
Pastel on paper

"A small child wearing a white gown sits on its mother's lap, facing left. The mother is seated on a chair with a domed crest rail that can be seen at the right of the composition over her left shoulder. She holds the child with both hands while fixing her gaze beyond its face. She wears a blue and white striped gown with a lace collar. Although little known today, William Sergeant Kendall was a fixture in the American art world of the late 1800s and early 1900s.  In this pastel, the artist's wife, Margaret, embraces their two-year old daughter, Beatrice.  This tender, timeless relationship between mother and child represents Kendall's favorite subject.  Kendall repeatedly explored a subject in pastel before painting the final composition in oil.  It is possible that this piece is a highly finished study for a not-yet-located painting."

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