Portrait of Sarah Majendie

Probably commissioned by the sitter, Sarah Majendie (née Gardiner, 1743/44–1813), London, by around 1785–1813 [1];

Probably inherited by her husband’s cousin, Lewis Majendie (1756-1833), Hedingham Castle, Essex, 1813-1833 [2];

Mr. John W. (1905–2000) and Mrs. Martha Jane (1906–2011) Starr, Kansas City, MO, by 1958;

Their gift to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1958.

Notes

[1] Andrew Majendie’s and Sarah Majendie’s portrait miniatures entered the Nelson-Atkins collection together, which suggests that Sarah acquired Andrew’s after his death.

[2] According to Sarah’s will, “I give and bequeath to Lewis Majendie of Castle Henningham in the County of Essex Esquire the Miniature Picture of my late husband William Majendie Esquire also I give and bequeath the sum of one thousand two hundred Pagodas left me by my late Brother in Law Andrew Majendie Esquire who died sometime in or about the month of March one thousand seven hundred and eighty two.” “Will of Sarah Majendie, Widow of Saint Luke Chelsea, Middlesex,” February 8, 1814, The National Archives, Kew, PROB 11/1552/147. William Majendie’s portrait miniature has not yet been located.

The portrait may have passed to one of Lewis’s two sons after his death: Ashurst (1784–1867) or Henry Lewis (1795–1863).