Dear Readers,
I was so struck by the charm and originality of fellow blogger and House Beautiful contributing editor Jennifer Boles’s Peak of Chic post today that I wanted to share it with you. Funnily enough my sister Duvall has a trunk show clothing business called Sister Act Collections, so-called because I sort of got her into it and helped her in the beginning. She is off and running with it now – with her other “sisters” Caroline and Mimi. Sisters are just great, and I sure do love mine. Which is a blessing considering I spent most of my waking hours until about age 16 trying to kill her. I was awful. And today I don’t know what I’d do without her, and that’s the truth. See below, and sign me,
Rehabilitated,
Frances
My re-posting is a little out of whack, but you can see Jennifer’s original Peak of Chic post here. Read about Sister Act Collections here.
MONDAY, JULY 02, 2012
Sister Act
There are few portrait subjects more interesting than sisters. Thanks to their physical likeness and their close familial bond, sisters seem made for portraits. Almost all siblings are captured in photographs or paintings during their youth. My sister and I were photographed twice during our teenage years. In one photo, we are posed in our living room while wearing our party dresses. The other photo was taken outside and was far more casual. But the portrait for which my sister and I have yet to pose is the glamour shot of us as adults. Something tells me this portrait may never happen, either.Take a look at the portrait above, a 1950 Cecil Beaton photograph that shows the Wyndham-Quin sisters. The photo is rather grand, but there is a historical precedent for it: the photograph is meant to emulate the famous John Singer Sargent portrait of the Wyndham sisters who were related to the Wyndham-Quin sisters above. In fact, Beaton took many photos of sisters, most notably his own sisters, Nancy and Baba.Below, you’ll see a sampling of some prominent sister acts. I didn’t bother to include photos of the Cushing or Miller sisters because we’re all familiar with those photos. But I have to say that my favorite of all of the portraits is that of Queen Elizabeth with the late Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. They were quite the regal vision in purple satin, don’t you think?
“The Wyndham Sisters” by John Singer Sargent, 1899. Collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Mrs. Stavros Niarchos and Mrs. Aristotle Onassis, the Livanos sisters. Photograph by Henry Clarke, 1957.
Mrs. John F. Kennedy and Mrs. Michael T. Canfield, also known as the Bouvier sisters, captured in a 1955 photograph by Horst.
The Princess of Wales (later Queen Alexandra) and her sister Dagmar (later Marie Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III of Russia), two daughters of Danish king Christian IX. Photograph circa 1873.
“The Linley Sisters” by Thomas Gainsborough, 1772. Collection of Dulwich Picture Gallery, London.
A portrait of Nancy and Baba Beaton by Cecil Beaton, c. 1925.
Also by Beaton is this photograph of two Bright Young Things, twins Zita and Teresa Jungman.
A portrait of sisters Thelma Furness and Gloria Vanderbilt.
Model sisters Suzy Parker and Dorian Leigh.
A Norman Parkinson photo of Queen Elizabeth with the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, 1980.
12 COMMENTS:
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I love the originality of this post – and I also love the idea, since I have three girls and the ‘sister photos’ seem to be getting fewer and fewer as the years go on (thank goodness for the annual Christmas picture!).
Have a happy 4th,
Holly -
Holly,
I bet you have some lovely portraits of your girls! Have a Happy 4th as well!
Jennifer
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I thought about including them but chose not to as so much has already been written about them.
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All beautiful I adore the Sargent painting and the Queen Elizabeth…Parkinson is priceless, they all look so at ease and happy!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena -
Thank you Karena! Happy Fourth!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ellen. Have a Happy 4th!
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Since I am an only child, I adored this post about sisters + I have many friends that are like sisters to me. Happy 4th of July. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
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And a Happy 4th to you as well!
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The sisters of three look like the three graces. I did not have a sister, but am drawn to the images. I have a statue of the three graces in my garden. Thankfully I can see it from my windows as it has been hot, hot, hot here in Kansas. Stay cool on the 4th.
ps: Someone wrote a story carried in our local paper: “Why would God put the 4th of July on a Wednesday?” It still makes me chuckle.
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That is hysterical. Since it falls on a Wed, it does make celebrating a little difficult!
The Peak of Chic is one of my FAVORITE blogs! …and this post about sisters is the BEST! I feel so inspired. Thank you both for sharing! xx Hollye
Love the portraits but am intrigued by Duval’s trunks. Where can we see her program?
Kate, you can click on the link – the words in green link to her website. They are the Carlisle and Per Se collections, with which you may be familiar. The company has been sold and things are a bit up in the air but all plans are go for a fall collection. I will keep you posted. Thank you, xox
The Peak of Chic was my introduction to blogs. Love it. I have always wanted a sister but am blessed with a great brother. Not many sister/brother famous photos……Frances, you write the best things about your sister….glad you did not “kill her”.
Happy 4th.
Becky
So much more refreshing than the Kardashian Crowd;}
Frances, thanks for the shout out! I think that we all wanted to kill our sisters at some point during our childhood!
I finally met my sister (older by seven years) when I was 33 and she was 40. Long, convoluted story, one day I am going to write a book about it. Same dad, different moms. We have been close ever since and I am happy to report I love bugging the heck out of her, whenever she complains I remind her it is an essential part of the sisterhood contract and I missed out on a LOT of years, so have some major catching up to do! She is a joy and major silver lining in my life. I am so happy we met at long last and are now in each others’ lives.
EB, what a wonderful story, wow. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. We’ll be watching out for that book, but book or no, do write the story down. It sounds like one that needs to be told.
While I am not as close to my sister as I am my mother, I loved this post from her as well. I left a comment about how I hope The Queen is able to see that portrait with her Mother and sister and find comfort in it, in a private setting on trying days. Sometimes family is all anyone needs to feel better… whether they are there or not.