An early pastel portrait by Kay Sage, dating to 1923, will be offered at auction by Richard Stedman Estate Services on May 16, bringing with it a layered provenance that connects the artist to one of America’s most important collecting dynasties.
Titled Vanderbilt Family Child Pastel Portrait, the work predates Sage’s move to Paris and her later emergence as a key figure within the Surrealist movement. Executed in pastel and modest in scale (17 by 20 inches; 20 by 22.6 inches framed), the portrait reflects the artist’s early academic training at the Corcoran Art School in Washington (1919–1920), offering insight into a formative period that is less frequently represented on the market.
The work’s provenance places it within the orbit of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art. According to the auction house, the portrait was inherited by the consignor from a descendant of Whitney and originates from her studio in Old Westbury, Long Island. The provenance reflects longstanding ties between Sage and the Whitney and Vanderbilt families. Sage maintained a close friendship with Flora Payne Whitney, Gertrude's daughter, during their school years, and the families remained socially connected across generations.
In January 2024, Richard Stedman Estate Services sold a portrait of Flora Whitney from the same studio for $193,750, pointing to continued collector interest in material associated with this circle. The present lot is among a group of works with shared provenance being brought to market by the firm as part of the ongoing dispersal of objects from Whitney’s collection, which has included sculpture, decorative arts, and archival material.
See also: Highlights from Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney's Studio Go to Auction
The 1923 portrait predates Sage’s distinctive Surrealist compositions of the 1940s and 1950s. In later works—developed after her time in Paris and her association with Yves Tanguy—she explored sparse architectural landscapes and solitary figures, themes central to her reputation.
The pastel will be offered as one of three consecutive lots from the same provenance, alongside a work by Frederick Herring Sr. and a barn interior attributed to Shapleigh.
