Mr. Eugene Kilpatrick Perry (1918 – 1998)and Mrs. Cristina Kilpatrick Perry (1917 -?)

Mr. and Mrs. E. K. Perry donated two paintings by Amanda de Leon to Glasgow in 1954. ¹

      In 1956, the same couple donated two paintings by the same artist to Michigan State University via the Carlebach Gallery of New York. Information about these donations is contained in the following letters.

        These letters provided the background to Mr. E. K. Perry and gave an address to work from. One also provided some information about the artist. One of the paintings Dancing in Harlem was painted in the 1940s.

            John Edmund Liggett was born on 11 June 1826 in St. Louis. He was a co-founder, in 1873, of the Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company which became the fourth largest tobacco company in America. The company had its origins in a snuff mill in New Egypt, New Jersey owned by Christopher Foulks. When the mill was destroyed by British soldiers in 1812, Foulks moved to Illinois and then to St. Louis to set up business. His daughter, Elizabeth married Joseph K. Liggett and their son John Edmund entered the business about 1845. The company became J. E. Liggett and Brother until a partnership was formed with George Smith Myers in 1873. ²

 John Liggett married Elizabeth J. Calbreath on 21 December 1851. ³ They had one son and four daughters one of whom, Dorothy (‘Dolly’) married Claude Kilpatrick about 1883. One of their two daughters, Mary Lois Kilpatrick (born 1885) married Eugene Albert Perry and their only son, Eugene Kilpatrick Perry was born in New York on 18 December 1918. ⁴ In the fourteenth US Census of 1920 ⁵ the family was living in Manhattan with Eugene A. Perry a stockbroker aged 39, born in Virginia. However, his wife, a ‘housewife’, is listed as Georganne Perry aged 34, born in St. Louis.

In 1927, the nine-year-old Eugene and his parents sailed from New York aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam. They arrived at Plymouth on 12 September before travelling on to London and staying at the Park Lane Hotel. ⁶

In the 1930 census ⁷ the details are essentially the same as in 1920, but the wife’s name is now Lois K. Perry who is aged 44. The family was employing three maids and a servant. Shortly after this, Eugene’s parents were divorced, and his mother married Russell L. McIntosh a textile dealer. In 1934, Eugene, with his mother and stepfather, were in Hamilton, Bermuda and on 6 April sailed from there aboard the S.S. Monarch of Bermuda, arriving in New York on 8 April. The family’s address was now Darien, Fairfield, Connecticut. ⁸ Later in August the same year, Eugene, aged fifteen, sailed with his family to Britain. They left Southampton on 25 August aboard the S.S. Statendam and arrived in New York on 1 September. ⁹ The following year, after a stay in the Ritz Hotel in London, the family left Southampton aboard the S.S. Bremen on 11 September 1935 bound for New York. Russell L. McIntosh was now retired, and Eugene was a student aged 16. ¹⁰ In 1937, the family was again on holiday. This time leaving Vancouver, British Columbia on 7 August and sailing to Hawaii aboard the S.S. Empress of Canada. They arrived in Honolulu on 12 August and stayed at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. ¹¹ On 1 September 1939, the family sailed from Buenos Aires aboard S.S. Brazil arriving in New York on 18 September. Their address was East Trail, Darien, Connecticut. ¹²

            In the census of 1940 ¹³ Eugene was at the same address ‘stepson to Russell L. McIntosh’, aged 21. His parents were in Miami and the family employed three servants, all German.

In 1940, Eugene competed a Draft Registration Form giving his address and stating that he was unemployed. It also gave some personal details. On 18 November he enlisted for three years in Battery C of the 207^th Coastal Artillery, National Guard.

Eugene’s father, Eugene Albert Perry died aged sixty-four on 26 May 1944 in Charlottesville, Virginia. He was a stockbroker divorced from Lois Kilpatrick Hayes. ¹⁵ A Florida state census of 1945 recorded Eugene K. at Boca Raton with his mother and stepfather. His occupation was ‘army’. ¹⁶

Eugene was demobilised on 13 January 1946 and on 12 March he married Cristina DeLeon in West Palm Beach, Florida.

A report of the wedding in a local newspaper contained the information that Eugene was an ‘alumnus of the Hun School in Princeton, N. J. and that he enlisted in the old 7^th Regiment of New York’. ‘Until recently (he) served in the Army Medical Corps in the Philippines and Japan’. In the same report, Cristina was described as the ‘daughter of Mrs. Amanda B. de Leon of 1185 Park Ave., New York’. One of the bridesmaids was Miss Nara de Leon, the bride’s sister. Cristina’s father was ‘the late Diego de Leon of Madrid and her grandfather was Rafael Lopez Andrade, court painter to the late King Alfonso’. A reception took place ‘at the winter home of the bridegroom’s mother, Mrs. Russell L. McIntosh, and Mr. McIntosh in Boca Raton’. ¹⁹

            The bride’s mother was Amanda Rangel, daughter of Domingo Rangel and Luisa Espinal. She was born in Caracas, Venezuela on 19 April 1901.²⁰ She married Diego De Leon and had three children: Ester born 27.10.1917, Edna (27.12.1918) and Ralph (21.7.1922) Diego died in May 1922 and Amanda married Albert Bencid. Her children took their stepfather’s surname. However, Albert died in 1923 and Amanda emigrated to the United States with her family. She landed at New York on 13 May 1924, aboard the S.S. Prins Frederik Hendrik. This information is contained in her application for naturalisation. When she applied, on 29March 1938 she was living at 353 Central Park West, New York. ²¹ She was granted naturalisation on 19 December 1940. Her address was now 1 West 85^th Street, New York and her occupation was ‘housekeeper’. She declared that all children were the issue of (her) first husband, Diego de Leon, who died in May 1922 in British West Indies. She also stated that all her children were born in the British West Indies rather than in Caracas as stated previously. Her witnesses were a millinery designer and an art student perhaps reflecting her own artistic endeavours. ²²

At some point after entering the US, both daughters changed their names, Ester Bencid became Nara de Leon and Edna became Christina (or Cristina) de Leon. In the 1940 census, Amanda Bencid was living in Manhatten, a widow aged 39 with no occupation listed. With her were her son Ralph Bencid, 17, and daughters, Nara de Leon, 21, and Cristina de Leon, 20. Both daughters were employed as models in advertising. All four were listed as born in Venezuela.²³

Cristina completed a Declaration of Intention to seek naturalisation on 30 April 1938. She stated that her full name was ‘Christina de Leon of 352 Central Park West, New York. She was born in Trinidad, B.W.I. on 27 December 1918 and had arrived in the US on 13 May 1924 under the name of Edna Bencid. She was a model and had dark hair, brown eyes and was five foot three inches tall.

A petition for naturalisation was completed two years later. Her address was now 1 West 85^th Street and she was an art student. ²⁴ On 8 December Cristina was issued with a passport. She became a US citizen in July 1942. ²⁵ Her sister, Nara, received naturalisation on 7 June 1943. She stated she was born on 27 October 1917 in Port of Spain, British West Indies. Cristina and her mother were witnesses, both living at 1185 Park Avenue, New York. Cristina’s occupation was ‘artist’ and her mother’s ‘housewife’. They both claimed to have known Nara continuously in the United States since 13 May 1924. ²⁶

            On 21 May 1949, Eugene’s mother, Mary Lois Kilpatrick McIntosh died aged 64 in New York. She had been married three times. Firstly, to Louis Lee Hayes in 1907, secondly to Eugene Albert Perry and finally, to Russell L. McIntosh. In 1928 she inherited a one-million-dollar estate from her mother Dolly Kilpatrick. She was buried in the Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis on 24 May. ²⁷                                                                                                  

On 28 December 1949 the family again set sail, this time bound for Genoa, Italy. Eugene and Cristina were accompanied by Amanda Bencid, Nara and her husband Gerard Heim. The ship, S.S. Vulcania left New York and was due to arrive in Genoa on 8 January 1950. According to the ship’s manifest, Eugene, Cristina and Amanda planned to stay abroad for six months while the Heims’ stay was to be indefinite. ²⁸

However, there was obviously a change of plans as on 7 April 1950 the whole family Amanda Bencin, Andrew Gerard Heim, Nara Heim, Eugene Kilpatrick Perry, Cristina Perry, all with an address at 1185 Park Avenue, New York, arrived at La Guardia airport from Maiquetja, Venezuela.²⁹ The census of 9 April 1950 records that Nara E. Heim, aged 28, born in Venezuela, was married to Andrew G. Heim, aged 35, born in New York. He was a freelance artist. ³⁰ Nara Heim was now a painter and sculptor with works in several galleries.

After their return, the Perrys moved to Pelham, New York – one of the oldest settlements in the USA. On 7 March 1952, they set off on a cruise accompanied by Amanda aged 50 and her son Ralph, 29. They all gave their addresses as 165 Boulevard, Pelham, New York. Cristina’s age is mistakenly listed as 25. The cruise was aboard Nieuw Amsterdam and returned to New York on 15 March. ³¹

            Cristina Perry became an accomplished portrait painter. ‘She recently painted a large portrait of Helen Hayes which the actress claimed was the only one ever to capture her true likeness and personality’.

Due to the favourable reception of this painting, a second one, depicting Helen Hayes in her role of Queen Victoria, was commissioned. Both canvases were placed on exhibition in the Helen Hayes Theatre. ³²

Cristina also wrote an account of her meeting with Miss Hayes which took place in the Spring of 1956.

Cristina Perry, one of the country’s distinguished portrait artists who makes her home on the Boulevard, Pelham Heights, with an artist’s sensitivity records impressions both on her canvas and with words. Her work brings her into contact with many of the world’s great and near great and she presents for Pelham Sun readers this week a discerning pen portrait of one of her famous sitters, Helen Hays.

A member of a notable artistic family. Mrs Perry, wife of E. K. Perry, is the daughter of artist Amanda de Leon and sister of another artist Nara Heim. They all make their home in Pelham. ³⁴

            Thereafter, the couple set about disposing of their collection of Amanda de Leon art. This consisted of donations to various art museums around the world. Cristina gave two paintings, Summer and Flower Vendor to the Lowe Art Museum in Miami on 12 January 1953 ³⁵ and Eugene is credited with donations to the Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona ³⁶ and the Kunsthaus in Zurich in 1954.³⁷ Thereafter the donations are invariably made under their joint names. Information from the Kunstmuseum in Basel may indicate how the donations were made.

‘The work (Evening in the Country) was bequeathed to the Kunstmuseum by Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Kilpatrick Perry in 1954. According to a letter (in the museum archives), they decided to give a work to the museum after a visit to Basel. The work was shipped from New York to Basel in the spring of 1954 after the Kunstmuseum confirmed its acceptance. There is no evidence that Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Kilpatrick Perry personally delivered it to Basel. According to the archive, a selection of several works was presented to the museum, which then decided on Evening in the Country. The only information we have about the artist Amanda de Leon is that she was born in Madrid on April 19, 1908, and trained in Caracas, Venezuela, before becoming an American citizen. She is also described as a peintre naif.’ ³⁸

In 1954 they donated two paintings to Glasgow and on 23 November 1955 they gave ‘two modern paintings by Amanda de Leon, Boy with Dogs and At the Horse Races’ to the Art Gallery of the University of Notre Dame to ‘augment the galleries’ growing collection of modern art’. ³⁹ A label from the reverse of Park Scene confirms their donation to the Saginaw Museum, Michigan in 1956. ⁴⁰

On 3 February 1957, the McGuire Hall Art Galleries in Richmond, Indiana were gifted a painting Mother and Child by Nara Heim, sister of Christina Perry. This was donated via the Carlebach galleries of New York. (A list of the couple’s other donations is contained in the appendix)

In 1957, Eugene and Christina embarked on a cruise aboard the British ship T.S.S. Ocean Monarch to Hamilton, Bermuda and Nassau, Bahamas. They left New York on 15 February returning to New York on 23February. In the column headed ‘U.S. Passport Number/Place of Birth’ Cristina’s details are listed as ‘U. S. Dist. CT. N.Y.C Dec. 8/40, S. America’. ⁴¹

            In 1960, the following intimation appeared in the Pelham Sun,

Mr and Mrs Eugene Kilpatrick Perry have moved from the Boulevard to New Rochelle. They have purchased a new home at 100 Pryer Terrace. ⁴²

However, before moving they donated two oil paintings by Amanda de Leon, Peasant Woman of Avila, Spain, and Shanti Town to the Hunter Art Gallery, Chattanooga on 8 September 1962. ⁴³

Amanda Bencin (Rangel, de Leon), Cristina’s mother, and the artist responsible for all the paintings, died on 1 March 1996 in Miami Beach, Florida aged ninety-five. ⁴⁴

Having retired to Miami, Eugene Kilpatrick Perry died at 5080 Alton Road Miami-Dade, Miami Beach on 11 May 1998 aged seventy-nine. His occupation was ‘Investor in Stock Market’, married to Cristina De Leon who was the informant. ⁴⁵ Ralph Bencid (de Leon) died at Broward, Florida on 2 August 2001. He was 79. ⁴⁶

References

1. Catalogue of donations to Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow
2. Wikipedia – CC BY-SA 4.0
3. Nisinger, Connie, findagrave.com
4. ancestry.com, Find a Grave Memorial ID 107675665, US Records
5. ancestry.com, United States Census 1920
6. ancestry.com, UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
7. ancestry.com, United States Census 1930
8. New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24NT-16S
9. ancestry.com, U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island) 1820 – 1957
10. ancestry.com, UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890 -1960ancestry.com, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Arriving and Departing Passenger and Crew Lists, 1900 – 1959
11. ancestry.com, U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island) 1820 – 1957
12. ancestry.com, United States Census 1940
13. Connecticut, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940 – 1945, 
14. FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2CR-PJFP 
15. Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987, 
16. FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVYP-M9PY
17. ancestry.com, Florida State Census 1945
18. ancestry.com, New York, U. S. New York National Guard Service Cards, 1917-1954
19. Florida Marriages, 1830-1993, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:23HQ-W1J
20. The Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach, Florida, 13 Mar 1946 also reported in The Miami News
21. familySearch.org, United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007database, 
22. New York, U.S. District and Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1991, familysearch.org
23.  ibid
24. ancestry.com, United States Census 1940
25. familysearch.org, New York, U.S. District and Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1991 
26. ancestry.com New York State, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1917-1967, S.S. New York, U.S. District and Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1991, familysearch.org
27. St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 23 May 1949
28. ancestry.com New York State, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1917-1967, S.S. Vulcania
29. familysearch.org, New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists 1909, 1925-1957
30. familysearch.org, United States Census 9 April 1950
31. ancestry.com, New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820 – 1957
32. Pelham Sun, 2 August 1956
33. Pelham Sun, 5 December 1957
34. ibid
35. Information from the Lowe Art Museum, Miami, by email.
36. Information from MACBA, Centre d’Estudis, Barcelona, by email
37. Information from the Kunsthaus Zurich, by email
38. Information from the Kunstmuseum Basel by email
39. University of Note Dame, Dept. of Public Information, 18 November 1955
40. The painting was auctioned by Du Mouchelles, 409 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit in July 2016. Image from their website.
41. ancestry.com, U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island) 1820 – 1957
42. Pelham Sun, ‘Social Happenings’,29 September 1960
43. Chattanooga Daily Times, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 8 September1962, p5
44. familysearch.org, United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007
45. Ibid
46. Ibid

Appendix 1

Paintings by Amanda de Leon Donated by the Perrys

Title                              Year of             Gallery   Donation

Flower Vendor                1953    Lowe Museum, Miami*
Summer                      1953    Lowe Museum, Miami*
Man with Snakes           1954    Kunsthaus, Zurich *
Nativity                          1954    Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona * Evening in the               1954    Kunstmuseum, Basel * Country  (1953) 
Spanish Dancers              1954    Glasgow Museums *
The Papaya Tree              1954    Glasgow Museums *
Girls with Kittens             1954    Musee des Beaux Arts Lausanne * Chinatown                        1954    Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Dublin * Night Scene                      1954    Art Gallery of Toronto *
Tropical Scene                  1954    Hamburger, Kunsthalle *
Boy with Dogs                  1955    Notre Dame *
At the Horse Races           1955    Notre Dame *
Park Scene (1950)             1956    Saginaw Museum, Michigan *      
In the Seminary                1956    Krannert Art Museum, Ill*
Dancing in Harlem           1956    Krannert Art Museum, Ill*
Peasant Woman of           1962    Hunter Art Gallery, Chattanooga*
Avila, Spain                                                                                         
Shanti Town                      1962    Hunter Art Gallery, Chattanooga.*

Others probably donated by the Perrys but not confirmed.

Gypsy Cave                        Osterreichische Galerie, Vienna (4)
The Market Place                                  Municipal Art Museum, Dusseldorf (4) Volcano                                          Wolfgang Gurlitt Museum Linz, Austria (4) Cock Fight                                       Museum of Modern Art, Sao Paulo (4) Convent Bound                            National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (B) Scene from “Giselle”                     Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Genoa (B)
The Bathers                               National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi (B)
On the Lake                               National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome (B)

N.B. * Confirmed by the museum;
“4” Is from 4rarefinds a seller on eBay. The seller lists prints of Amanda’s paintings for sale and helpfully gives the gallery where the originals can be found.
 “B” indicates information from a book containing prints of Amanda’s paintings. (Osbourne, Duncan, Contemporary Masterpieces Series, 1954.)

Some, possibly all of these donations were arranged through the Carlebach Gallery in New York.
The Perrys also offered a painting to the Tate Gallery in London which was declined.

Paintings Sold at Auction
Nuns on Horseback             Sold 2017 Du Mouchelles, Detroit $150.00
Farm Scene       c1940         Sold 2008 Toomey & Co.

On occasion, the Perrys also donated paintings by Cristina’s sister, Nara e.g.
Mother and Child, 1957 to the McGuire Hall, Richmond *

Appendix 2

Amanda de Leon (1901 – 1996)

It has been difficult to pin down this artist. This is partly because references to her always give her dates as 1908 – 1990 and state that she was born in Madrid, the daughter of Rafael Andrade, ‘a well-known portrait painter in his own right’.¹ However, it has been impossible to trace any reference to this painter. Initial findings said she was raised in Venezuelaand educated at theSan Jose de Tarbes, Convent in Caracas.² She lived in the US in Pelham, New York throughout her creative period.³ She painted mainly on Masonite (hardboard) and was described as a Peintre naif.⁴

In fact, she was born Amanda Rangel in Caracas, Venezuela on 19 April 1901, the daughter of Domingo Rangel and Luisa Espinal.⁵ She married Diego de Leon about 1917 and had three children, all born in the British West Indies; Esther, 27 October 1917, Edna, 27 December 1918 and Ralph 21 July 1922. Diego died in May 1922, and she moved back to Caracas. She then married Albert Bencid on 15 April 1923, but he died the same year. She emigrated to the United States from La Guaira, Venezuela arriving on 13 May 1924 aboard the Prins Frederik Hendrik. At the time she applied for naturalisation she was living at 1 West 85^th Street, New York and was employed as a housekeeper. ⁶

In the 1940 census, she is listed as Amanda Bencid and was living in Manhattan, a widow aged 39 with no occupation given. With her were her son Ralph Bencid, 17, and daughters, Nara de Leon, 21, and Cristina de Leon, 20. ⁷ After her daughter Cristina (formerly Edna) married Eugene Kilpatrick Perry in 1946, Amanda moved in with her daughter and son-in-law at 1185 Park Avenue, New York. On 28 December 1949 she sailed with the family including her daughter Nara (formerly Esther) and Nara’s husband Andrew Gerard Heim, to Genoa arriving there on 8 January 1950. The visit must have been curtailed as on 7 April 1950 the whole family arrived at La Guardia Airport, New York having visited Venezuela. Shortly after this, the family moved to 165 Boulevard, Pelham NY which was the address given when Amanda this time accompanied by her son Ralph as well as Eugene and Cristina cruised from New York aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam.

The following year, her daughter and son-in-law began donating some of Amanda’s paintings to various art museums around the world. This began with a gift to the Lowe Museum in Miami of Flower Vendor and Summer.

            In 1954 a booklet of copies of fourteen of her paintings was published in the Contemporary Masterpieces series with an introduction by Duncan Osbourne.

A volume of color reproductions of paintings by Amanda de Leon, noted artist who resides at 165 Boulevard, Pelham Heights has recently been published by the Fine Arts Publishers of New York. The paintings reproduced in the book are from the collections of museums in 14 different countries.

Miss de Leon’s works are represented in over 50 major museums throughout the world, including the Musee d’Art Moderne, Paris, the National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome, the Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona and the Glasgow Art Gallery, Scotland.

Universally famous, Amanda de Leon is considered to be one of the most notable self-taught painters of the generation. ⁸

Each painting has a legend indicating the gallery to which the original was donated. However, there is little in the way of biographical detail. One copy of the book was gifted to the Joslyn Memorial Art Library in 1957 by Eugene Kilpatrick Perry.

Exhibition of Paintings by Amanda de Leon
An exhibition of paintings by internationally known Amanda de Leon of 165 Boulevard began Monday at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Conn. The one-man show will continue until Jan. 30. Many of the works on display have been loaned by museums, universities and distinguished private collectors. Miss de Leon, outstanding in the primitive style, has had several one-man shows in Paris and New York. ⁹

In 1955 she held an exhibition of her works in Washington D.C.
Venezuelan painter Amanda de Leon held a successful exhibition of her works last June at the Pan American Union building in Washington D.C. by special invitation extended to her by that organisation.¹⁰

And later the same year she had an exhibition at the Carlebach Gallery in New York.

Paintings of Amanda de Leon on Exhibition
A reception in honor of Amanda de Leon famous Pelham artist was opened on Monday evening September 19 by Mrs. Vincent R. Impellitteri wife of the former mayor of New York City. The occasion was the opening of her new exhibition of paintings at the Carlebach Gallery of 943 Third Avenue in New York. Many notables attended the reception including leading artists, sculptors and museum directors. Miss de Leon resides on the Boulevard, Pelham Heights.
Last week Mayor Stanley W. Church of New Rochelle appointed Amanda de Leon as ambassador at large of New Rochelle. As the artists paintings hang in over (?) major museums throughout the world, Mayor Church said she has done a wonderful job fostering cultural relations between this country and the nations where her work is exhibited.
Miss de Leon who is one of the leading contemporary painters of our time is noted for her originality and mastery of color and design. Although the daughter of a famous portrait painter of Madrid, the artist is independent of any tradition and paints in a style completely her own. The forcefulness and vitality of her work is enhanced by her rich and sumptuous colors.
Amanda de Leon is the mother of two daughters, Cristina Perry and Nara Heim, successful artists themselves who are following in the footsteps of their illustrious mother.
During the exhibition at the Carlebach Gallery, Miss de Leon will be the subject of numerous interviews on radio and television shows. ¹¹

Five Years Ago
Pelham Artist Amanda de Leon, an internationally known painter, has been included in the 1957 edition of “Who’s Who in the East,” as well as “Who’s Who in American Art.” The artist, whose paintings are represented in over 70 major museums throughout the world, is currently having a one-woman show in the Museum of Modern Art in Genoa. Subsequently, the exhibit will travel to museums in Barcelona and Dusseldorf. Amanda de Leon is the mother of the well-known artists Christina Perry and Nara Heim, all of whom have their residence and studios at 165 Boulevard. ¹²
Presumably Amanda continued to paint but there is no record after this point of any further donations of her artworks.
Amanda de Leon (nee Rangel), also known as Amanda Bencid, died on 1 March 1996 aged ninety-five in Miami Beach, Miami-Dade, Florida. ¹³

References (Appendix 2)

1. 4rarefinds-eBay
2. artprice.com
3. Osbourne, Duncan, Contemporary Masterpieces Series, 1954.
4. Information from the archives of the Kunstmuseum Basel via. Marion Keller
5. familysearch.org, United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (Numident), 1936-2007
6. familysearch.org, Petition for Naturalisation 19 December 1940
7. ancestry.com, U.S. Census, 1940 (Check same as before)
8. Pelham Sun, 28 April 1955
9. Pelham Sun, 14 January 1954
10. Venezuela Up-to-date, 1956, Volumes 7-10, p 19. Google e-book.
11. Pelham Sun 22 September 1955
12. Pelham Sun 4 October 1962
13. Florida Death Records (Check)

Appendix 3

Nara Heim

Ester de Leon was born in Port-au-Spain Trinidad on 27 October 1917 to Diego de Leon and Amanda Rangel. When her father died, her mother married Albert Bencid and Ester took his name. After emigrating to the United States, she adopted her father’s surname and changed her first name to Nara. She worked as a photographic model in New York before marrying Andrew Gerard Heim. She studied at the Art Students League of New York and at the National Academy of Design School also in New York,and the Sculpture Center in New York.¹ She exhibited at the Carlebach Gallery, New York (1950), New Rochelle AA (1952*, 1954), Manor Club (1952* – 1954), Westchester Arts and Crafts (1954 – 1955*) and Mount Vernon AA (1955*). (* Her exhibit was awarded a prize). Her work was exhibited at Everhart Museum of Art, Scranton, PA; Lyman Allyn Museum; Howard University; Farnsworth Museum of Art, Wellesley, MA; Georgia Museum of Art, Athens; Hickory Museum of Art, NC; and Mills College, Oakland, CA.² She has an entry in Who Was Who in American Art, 1564 – 1975. ³ Nara Heim died on 13 March 2004 in Miami Shores. ⁴

In 2010, the following appeared on an art auction site,

Nara Heim painting (Venezuela/New York, born 1921), “The Sun Bathers”, signed upper right “Nara Heim”, mixed media on Masonite, 30 x 20 in.; lattice style gilt and painted wood frame. Some losses to composition material; frame with abrasions. Carlebach Gallery, New York City; Mr. and Mrs. E.K. Perry, Pelham, New York; Property of the Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, North Carolina. ⁵

References (Appendix 3)

1. askart.com
2. fr.artprice.com
3. Who Was Who in American Art, 1564 – 1975, Falk, Peter Hastings, 1999
4. Miami Herald, 28 March 2004
5. invaluable.com