ROBERT HENRI | FRANCINE (“LOVEY”)

Mrs. T. C. Read, Scottsdale, Arizona

Samuel B. and Marion W. Lawrence, Orlando, Florida (sold: Christie’s, New York, November 29, 2007, lot 23)

Acquired by the present owner at the above sale

Robert Henri Diary, March 1926, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution,

Washington, D.C., reel 886, frame 846

The present work was painted in the spring of 1921 preceding what would become a prolific summer for the artist, spent in Woodstock, New York. The subjects of Henri’s paintings focused heavily on portraits of children in his later years and Henri felt particularly pleased with the present work upon completion. According to Valerie Ann Leeds:

“Painted in April, probably in his New York studio, Francine, subtitled ‘Lovey,’ depicts a girl of about three years old with ‘Irish blue-gray eyes.’ Henri repainted various aspects of this portrait on four separate occasions between April 10, 1921, and May 22, 1922. In his diary, he made extensive color and palette notations, with the additional explanation: ‘The reason for the making of these notes is that I like the picture very much and wish to remember it in all details. Its character, color, composition, painting, drawing – all very free and constructive.’ This represents a departure from Henri’s usual working methods, as he generally worked with great speed, only rarely returning to rework passages or large areas of painting.” (Valerie Ann Leeds, The Independents: The Ashcan School & Their Circle from Florida Collections, Winter Park, Florida, 1996, p. 5.)