What I do In My Spare Time

Hi Mr. McNay –

I’m researching the artist John La Farge at present, and I ran across your excellent Helena DeKay Gilder Web site. In particular, I noticed your suggestion that the “Infant Bacchus” window by La Farge is based on a photo of Helena Gilder and her son Rodman. I’ve seen the photo, but I didn’t know that was Helena in it! Do you think you could share the documentary source for the identification of Helena in the photo – or for the circumstance surrounding Helena’s posing for the photo in general?

Thanks, and thanks for your very informative Web site,

-katie kresser

Katie,

One of the sources is a book "John La Farge" Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, National Musuen of American Art, Smithsonian, -Abbeville Press 1987- Top of Page 211. There was another source, but I don't recall where. The photograph was taken in the Gilder home, when they were having 'staged motifs' the family and guests would dress up and pose in classical images and they arranged for photos to be taken. There might even be a painting that she modeled her pose from- but I've not gone to look at it. The source above says that the identical photo was found in the Gilder family album. I'd like to know where to find the photo. Is it available on line somewhere?

You know about Winslow Homer's brown and blue painting of the woman being blown by a strong wind on a hillside?

Hope this helps.

Dan

If you haven't visited my site- this is where the traffic is. I'm a nationally known expert on her.

Helena's World