Artist: Helena de Kay Gilder (American, 1846–1916)
Medium: Charcoal
Date: ca. 1894
Provenance: Sketched at the White House, 1894
Collection: Gilder Palmer Family Archive

Price: $450,000 USD

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Expanded Description with Historical Context

This historically unprecedented charcoal sketch presents First Lady Frances Folsom Cleveland, wife of President Grover Cleveland, in a rare and intimate portrayal. Executed by Helena de Kay Gilder within the walls of the White House in 1894, the work captures both the grace and youthful poise of America’s youngest First Lady and the exceptional trust between artist and subject.

Helena de Kay Gilder, a pioneering female artist and co-founder of the Art Students League of New York, was already a central figure in late 19th-century American art. Her approach to portraiture emphasized emotional nuance, character depth, and refined realism — qualities fully evident in this delicate and minimalist charcoal drawing. The piece transcends conventional portraiture to offer a poetic reflection on femininity, power, and the intimate lives of historical figures.

By portraying the First Lady in such a private context, Gilder not only preserved an extraordinary historical record but also created a cultural artifact at the intersection of art and politics. The sketch reflects the growing visibility of women artists in elite circles and Helena’s ability to navigate spaces often reserved for men, leaving a lasting imprint on both artistic and political history.

This previously unseen work, held privately for over a century, is a milestone in American art: it is simultaneously a masterful work of portraiture and a document of the personal and public lives of Gilded Age figures, embodying both aesthetic and historical significance.

Historical Significance

• Artist: Helena de Kay Gilder, co-founder of the Art Students League, a pioneering woman in American art.

• Subject: Frances Folsom Cleveland, the youngest First Lady in U.S. history, wife of President Grover Cleveland.

• Cultural Context: Captured inside the White House, reflecting personal trust and intimacy rarely seen in presidential portraiture.

• Gilded Age Relevance: Demonstrates the intersection of political history, women’s evolving roles in art, and elite cultural networks of late 19th-century America.