A photograph of Constance, Katharine and Beatrice Pratt c. 1900. Courtesy of a Private Collection.
The sitter was the eldest daughter of Dallas Bache Pratt and Mary Gordon Pratt, and the sister of the sitter above. Her father was a partner in the firm of Maitland, Coppell & Company and was one of the foremost bankers in New York and rear-commodore of the New York Yacht Club. After Katharine’s marriage she lived in Baltimore. Her husband, Lycurgus Winchester, was killed by a streetcar in 1906 before the birth of his second daughter. Five years later she married Dr. David Dickson of New York. When the sitter died in the flu epidemic of 1918, her two daughters Hope (born 1904) and Katharine (born 1906) were brought up by their grandparents in New York.
Mary Gordon Pratt, the sitter’s mother, wrote to Muller-Ury from their home at 24, West 48th Street, New York, on December 13, 1901 (artist’s papers) as follows:
‘Dear Mr. Muller-Ury,
I enclose cheque in exchange for Katharine’s lovely portrait. It is up in place and those who have seen it think it an excellent portrait. It is certainly very like her & I think will always be a pleasure. Thanking you for your interest & work.
I am yours sincerely, Mary Gordon Pratt.’
Her husband wrote to the artist on
December 18, 1901 from 24, Exchange Place, New York (same source):
‘Dear Mr. Muller-Ury;
I have been hoping
to see you, & so have put off writing to tell you how very much pleased
I am with my daughter’s portrait.
I may say that I am
perfectly satisfied with it, & that I not only consider it a remarkable
likeness of Katharine, but besides that a charming picture.
Believe me to be, with kind regards, & best wishes for as much success with all your portraits, as you have made of this one, & the compliments of the season.
Yours sincerely, Dallas B. Pratt.’
