clare sheridan as kokotosaki (star woman ) by madame yevonde
An exceptional, dual-signed vintage silver gelatin portrait capturing two trailblazing 20th-century British women at the height of their creative powers.
The Photograph:
8x10 inches ...10x11 inches on studio backing board.
Dated February 1938, this striking monochrome portrait by pioneer photographer Madame Yevonde features the renowned, rebellious English sculptor and journalist Clare Sheridan (cousin to Sir Winston Churchill).
The Historical Context:
In the summer of 1937, Clare Sheridan traveled to Montana, USA, to live with the Blackfeet Nation, sculpting tribal leaders and documenting her experiences for her acclaimed 1938 book, Redskin Interlude. In recognition of her bond with the tribe, she was formally adopted and gifted the sacred name Kokotosaki, translating to "Star Woman." Upon returning to London, Sheridan sat for Madame Yevonde wearing the sacred regalia gifted to her during her expedition. A variant from this historic 1938 sitting is held in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London (NPG x223245)
Signatures & Provenance:
This specific print boasts an elite trifecta of authentication markings:
- Hand-signed by Madame Yevonde in pencil on the lower front mount.
- Features Madame Yevonde's official studio credit stamp on the reverse.
- Features a handwritten personal inscription and signature by Clare Sheridan herself, dedicated to "Nancy Pearn" clare sheridans publisher, in February 1938.
- “To Nancy Pearn with affectionate gratitude from Clare Sheridan Kokotosaki (Star Woman) Feb 1938.”
clare sheridan ( 1885- 1970 )A cousin of Sir winston churchill whom she embarrassed with her wild behaviour. She married in 1910 and had three children, one of whom died in 1914. She modelled an angel for her child's grave and discovered a talent for sculpture. After her husband's death she exhibited her sculptures, including one of Churchill. An admirer of communism, she visited the Soviet Union in 1920. She sculpted Lenin and Trotsky, later publishing her diary. She went to Mexico and America, where she settled, becoming friends with charlie chaplin and turning to journalism. Her second trip to Russia, in 1923, was disillusioning. She took her children to live in Turkey and then Algeria and continued to sculpt and write, travelling to montana in 1937.
Madame Yevonde (Yevonde Middleton) ( 1893-1975 ) was a visionary who reshaped portrait photography in the 1930s. Celebrated for her championing of women's independence and her technical mastery, her work is heavily collected by major international museums. To find a vintage print featuring her original pencil signature on the mount, coupled with a sitter of Sheridan's historical magnitude, is an extraordinary market rarity.
nancy pearn.
Nancy Pearn (1892–1950) was a formidable force in the golden age of print and publishing. As a senior agent at the legendary Curtis Brown agency and later as a founding partner of Pearn, Pollinger & Higham, she served as the vital bridge between avant-garde literary genius and the commercial marketplace.
Dubbed the "queen of the magazines," Pearn possessed a legendary talent for securing high-profile serializations, illustrations, and print rights. She managed and championed an elite roster of era-defining creators, including:
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D.H. Lawrence (who fondly nicknamed her his "golden magazine girl")
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Virginia Woolf
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Winston Churchill
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Dorothy L. Sayers
- graham greene
Pearn’s career defined an era where high literature, striking graphic illustration, and popular media collided. Our gallery collection celebrates the vibrant aesthetic, historic cover art, and enduring literary heritage kept alive by visionaries like Nancy Pearn.
Condition: Very Good. Crisp contrast and excellent tonal range. mounted on in its original vintage studio mount with light, age-appropriate wear.
