Provenance:The Artist.Frances Stotesbury Mitchell, Pennsylvania.By descent to Frances Kearsley Mitchell (Mrs. William R. Wister), the sitter.By descent to William R. Wister, Jr.By descent to the current owner.Lot Note:The mother of the sitter, a dear friend of Jessie Willcox Smith, commissioned this portrait when the sitter was just a few years old. Rendered with a delicate touch, the painting depicts the child against a backdrop of lush rhododendron blossoms–their pink color echoing her blush cheeks and lips. Soft light illuminates the folds of her white dress and the curls of her blonde hair. The child's gaze, direct and inquisitive, along with her raised index finger, suggests a moment of innocent wonder or a playful demand for attention–altogether, a tableau that speaks to the close relationship between the artist and family.