Titles

One title has been suggested:

• 'Portrait of a Boy' (1980, YMSM). 1

Description

This was the portrait of a boy of about seven years of age. According to William Graham, he had 'a long upper lip', and he sat on an 'old embroidered chair ... with his head leaning against the embroidery behind him, his arms glued to those of the chair.' 2

Sitter

Russell Creamer Langdon (1872-1963) was the son of Loomis Lyman Langdon (1830-1910), who was a contemporary of Whistler at West Point and native of Buffalo, who occasionally wrote for the newspapers. L. L. Langdon was on leave of absence in Europe from 29 June 1879 to 6 January 1880 and wrote to Pennell that he met Whistler in Venice in 1879. 3

Colonel Russell C. Langdon, photograph, University of Washington

L. L. Langdon married Hattie Molleson Creamer, and their son Russell was born in Brooklyn on 20 June 1872. Like his father, he went into the army, graduating from West Point in 1892, and attaining the rank of Brigadier General. 4 R. C. Langdon was twice married, first to Adria Maud Semple, and later to Lois Alene Demorest.