Description:

Louise Howland King Cox
California, New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut / Italy., (1865-1945)
Portrait of a Young Boy in a Sailor Suit, 1912
oil on canvas
signed and dated upper left, in a carved giltwood frame.
Louise Howland King was born in San Francisco but soon moved to New York City where she pursued her artistic talents at the National Academy of Design. She eventually married Kenyon Cox, her former teacher, and they had three children—all while she dedicated herself to painting and other art forms. She participated in many competitions and won many prizes, and today her work is held at the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., as well as at other museums and private collections. Her first son was named after a WWI hero, demonstrating an element of her patriotism and interest in the military. She painted many portraits over the course of her long life but specialised in those depicting children.
Here we have a painting of a young boy in a sailor's suit—a costume made popular in the mid-19th c. after a portrait of the 5-year-old Prince Albert Edward of Wales (wearing a miniature costume of the Royal Navy) became known to the public, creating a Victorian-era fashion fad; a 1906 Ladies Home Journal article solidified the popularity for American women when it instructed them on how to make the special embroidery on their own children's suits (chevrons, eagles, stars, anchors). The sailor suit represented patriotism, fascination with maritime exploration and the navy, and it romanticised the idea of a life at sea. Prior to the sailor suit, children couldn't turn to an outfit that represented so much and that was also so versatile and durable. The outfit also made male children appear neat, clean, orderly and disciplined and allowed them to dress up in a special and fun costume—such as in the case of this young boy who wore a loosely fitted, widely collared version featuring a neatly-tied red silk scarf and thin red armband. The outfit allowed Cox to capture an image of a boy who was no doubt dreaming of his own adventures at sea while his portrait was being painted.

  • Dimensions: 26 x 18 inches
  • Medium: oil on canvas

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February 10, 2024 10:00 AM CST
St. Louis, MO, US

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