Portrait of a girl

As his children grew, their presence in Clausen’s studio became more frequent and although
his model is unidentified in the present work, there are reasons for suggesting that this is a painting of the artist’s daughter, Katharine Frances Clausen, known as ‘Kitty’ (1886-1936).
In each of Clausen’s solo exhibitions in 1902, 1904 and 1908, a portrait of Kitty was shown, and while several have survived, none can be securely placed in any of the three shows.^[1] The idea that this could conceivably represent Kitty depends totally on the shape of the girl’s face, her mouth, nose, and hair colouring. Plainly, this was no conventional commissioned portrait, but a study in uneven light effects, indicated by the suggestion of a curtain to the left of the figure. Such fugitive effects increasingly preoccupied the painter in the Edwardian years and while animating the form, they reveal all the quality, subtilty and nuance of intimate observation.^[2]
We are grateful to Professor Kenneth McConkey for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.

[1] Catalogues were of course, unillustrated at this time, and dealers’ sale records, in this case, have not survived.
[2] On stylistic grounds A Girl’s Head must have been was executed during this period, and while no reference to it can be found in the artist’s account books, it is clear that Aykroyd was buying works from the artist during the late Victorian and Edwardian years - for instance, he purchased Clausen’s The Barn Door (sold Christie’s, 11 July 2013) in 1906.