The Complete Works of Philippe Smit
by Andreas Narzt and Florence Castellani
Catalogue entry
PS 79 (P 3004)
Family Portrait
Alternate titles: En famille; Family Portrait; Two Sisters and Child
1913
Pastel on cardboard
42 5/8 x 35 5/16 in. (108 x 89.5 cm)
Signed and dated lower left: Philippe Smit/ 1913
On the back: fragment of the exhibition label Philadelphia on the frame upper left and a handwritten label: Eshowe/ N° 3004/ Family Portrait on the protective backing panel upper center.
Inventories
Donation Berendina Hubscher, 20-06-1952, (attestation 03-09-1953), n.p., s.n. private archives: no. [P 3004], A Mademoiselle Eshowe Pitcairn: Pastels, 2- Portrait de famille, les deux Sœurs et l'Enfant (2). [ms: (2) This pastel was given by Eshowe to Mr. T. P. in exchange for his pastel Portrait of Eshwowe (French inventory number 165)]
Inv. Pitcairn, n.d. [c.1957], n.p., LNC archives: no. P 3004, Mrs. John Pennink, Family Portrait (loaned to Theodore Pitcairn), Pastel, 43 x 36 [in.].
Provenance
Eshowe Pitcairn-Pennink (donation from the above in 1952)
Richard & Ruth Yardumian (most likely a gift from the above who had great admiration for the composer Richard Yardumian)
Exhibitions
Kunsthandel De Heem, Atelier 'de Sparren', Laren, Netherlands, Tentoonstelling Phillippe Smit, October 03–11, 1920, no. 26, as En famille.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, Philippe Smit, An Exhibition of Works by a Twentieth Century Dutch Master, December 01–29, 1957, no. 2, as Family Portrait, Pastel - 1913, 52 x 46 1/2 [in.].
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, Collection of the Rev. and Mrs. Theodore Pitcairn, June 17–September 15, 1960, no. 40, Pastel, 52 x 46 1/2 [in.], 1918, Two Sisters and Child, 11-1960-40 (title and n° on receipt of return).
Literature & Primary Sources
"Tentoonstelling - Philippe Smit." De Gooi- en Eemlander (Hilversum), 23-10-1920, p. 2, as En famille ("… volgende nummers: […] 26: 'En famille' …").
Notes
The sisters of Philippe Smit Emma and Elisabeth de Jager with one of her children. Though Elisabeth, brought up in a convent, was according to family tradition very prudish and suffered from hysteria while pregnant - she had nine children - the young Pitcairns loved her very much and called her Tante Lisa.
Record last updated May 14, 2017. Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
Citation: Narzt, Andreas and Castellani, Florence. "Family Portrait, 1913 (PS 79)." The Complete Works of Philippe Smit. http://www.philippesmit.com/cr/catalogue/entry.php?id=79 (accessed on April 23, 2024).