Agnes Mary Alexander
Alias: May
Nationality: British
Date of birth: October 1962
Place of birth: Reigate Surrey
Date of death: June 1950
Place of death: Kensington, London
Category: sitter
Identity:
William Cleverly Alexander (1840-1916), a wealthy banker and patron of Whistler, and his wife Rachel Agnes Lucas (1837-1900) had a large family, including several daughters: Agnes Mary ('May') (1862–1950), Cicely Henrietta (1864–1932), Helen Christina (1866-1897), Grace (1867–1959), Emily Margaret (1872-1962), Emily Margaret (1872–1962), Rachel Frances (1875-1964) and Jean Ingslow (1878-1972), and two sons, William Geoffrey (1865–1911) and George Cleverley, born about 1869 (d. after 1937).
Agnes Mary ('May') Alexander was the eldest daughter. The family lived at Aubrey House in Kensington, London.
Life:
She trained as a nurse at University College Hospital in London and became interested in housing and social issues. She wrote Some Kensington Problems in 1904 and was a Guardian of the Poor for Kensington. She was also a collector.
As a young girl 'May' posed for Whistler. According to W. C. Alexander, he commissioned Whistler to paint his daughters in 1872 because he admired Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter's Mother y101. May's portrait, Miss May Alexander y127, was executed in the dining room of the family's home, for which Whistler designed a decorative scheme. It was in this room that the portrait was intended to hang.
However, Whistler postponed sittings until he had finished the portrait of Agnes' sister Cicely, Harmony in Grey and Green: Miss Cicely Alexander y129. In 1875 May's portrait was taken up again but there was further delay due to her ill health.
Her sister Grace was also posed for Whistler (see Portrait of Miss Grace Alexander y130. W. C. Alexander acquired a group of pen drawings that included Design for a dress for Miss Cicely H. Alexander m0503, Study for 'Portrait of Miss May Alexander' m0498 and Study for 'Portrait of Miss May Alexander' m0499 as well as Sketch for 'Portrait of Miss Grace Alexander' m0506 and Sketch for 'Portrait of Miss Grace Alexander' m0507
Bibliography:
Pennell, Elizabeth Robins, and Joseph Pennell, The Life of James McNeill Whistler, 2 vols, London and Philadelphia, 1908; Young, Andrew McLaren, Margaret F. MacDonald, Robin Spencer and Hamish Miles, The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler, New Haven and London, 1980; MacDonald, Margaret F., James McNeill Whistler. Drawings, Pastels and Watercolours. A Catalogue Raisonné, New Haven and London, 1995.
http://person.ancestry.co.uk/tree/25316469/person/2027290834/facts
