Marguerite, Susan Watkins Serpell (1906)
According to family lore, this young woman was a maid who worked for painter Susan Watkins in France. The goal of Watkins’ portraits like Marguerite and Lady in Yellow (in the adjacent gallery) was not to capture the identity of her sitters. Instead, the model, costume, jewelry, and elegant interior setting express a mood of grace and refinement. Here, these elements also allow Watkins to explore the complex layers of thin fabric and nuanced shades of white within the dress and background wall.
