Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida

George Walbridge Perkins, New York (acquired directly from the artist, December 1909)
Thence by descent through the family to the present owner

Unlined; under UV: inpainting at upper right corner, 2 ½ inch vertical line of inpainting to her left arm, possibly to address repaired tear, a dot of inpainting to her left wrist.
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From February 4 through March 8,1909, The Hispanic Society of America, New York, held an inaugural exhibition of 356 works by Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida. Despite the Spanish artist's relatively obscure American reputation and the bitter winter cold, the exhibition Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida at the Historic Society of America drew nearly 30,000 visitors, sold 20,000 catalogues, garnered glowing press reviews, and many paintings found influential buyers (including the Hispanic Society itself).  Sorolla witnessed the exhibition's success firsthand, as he had traveled to New York accompanied by his wife Clotilde and two older children, Maria and Joacquin.  In addition to his duties as exhibition co-organizer (sharing responsibilities with The Hispanic Society's Archer M. Huntington), Sorolla painted more than twenty portraits during his stay in the United States, with subjects that included newly-elected President William Howard Taft and, portrayed in the present work, Emily Perkins. Emily was the stepmother of George Walbridge Perkins, Sr. (1862-1920), who by 1909 was a powerful banker at J.P. Morgan.  Walbridge used his wealth and influence in support of public works; as then-Governor Theodore Roosevelt's appointee to president of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, he was instrumental in preserving the beautiful Hudson River cliffs of the Palisades from mining, and in creating the Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park. Living next door to her stepson in Riverdale (the Perkins had purchased the Wave Hill estate in 1903, today a public garden and cultural center), Emily was equally committed to civic responsibility.  Before moving from Chicago at the turn of the century, she was a director of Chicago's Orphan Asylum and Home for the Friendless. As reported in her New York Times obituary (September 24, 1912), "in spite of her advanced age, she was remarkably vigorous and continued her charitable work in behalf of her orphans until her death."  It is this spirit and energy that Sorolla so effectively captures in his portrait.  The artist's brilliant use of color and painterly brush not only builds the rich tones and textures of Emily's fine blue silk dress, but also captures the sparkle in her eyes that matches the turquoise glint of her jeweled necklace and ring, her coiffed white hair a cool contrast to the peach-pink warmth of her face, with its subtle suggestion of a smile.  While it has yet to be determined how well Sorolla knew the Perkins, it seems they were an important part of his New York trip.  In addition to Sorolla's painting of Emily Perkins, his inventory records portraits of "Senor Perkins" (present location unknown) and "Perkins Madre".  The artist likely sent George Perkins the present work in late 1909, as suggested by a letter held in the Hispanic Society archives in which he wishes the family all the happiness for the new year of 1910.