Frank H. Desch

(American, 1873-1934)

Portrait of Dr. Percival Eaton, 1928

oil on canvas

signed and dated Frank H. Desch 28 (lower right)

40 x 33 3/4 in.

Property from the Family Collection of Dr. Percival Eaton, Jr., Provincetown, Massachusetts

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Lot Essay:

Born in Malden, MA in 1862, Dr. Eaton settled in Pittsburgh, PA in 1891 where he became one of the city’s leading pediatricians. There, he played a key role in the development of both the local Children’s Hospital and the pediatrics department at the University of Pittsburgh.

In addition to his medical achievements, Dr. Eaton was a prominent civic leader, particularly through his involvement with the Associated Harvard Clubs. A passionate supporter of the arts, he served for nearly four decades as director and later president of the Pittsburgh Art Society—a devotion that continued well into his retirement. In his sixties, Dr. Eaton and his wife Emily moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he became a central figure in the local community. He served as chairman of the town library trustees and, most notably, as director and treasurer of the Provincetown Art Association—an institution that remains active to this day.

Dr. Eaton built a beautiful brick waterfront home on Commercial Street, which still stands as one of the few brick houses in Provincetown. In this home, Dr. Eaton curated a deeply personal and thoughtfully assembled art collection. Comprised primarily of small-format oils, the collection reflects his tastes and life experiences. It features landscapes and portraits rendered in oil, pastel, gouache, and print. With approximately fifty works—never before exhibited publicly or offered at auction—this collection serves as a remarkable time capsule and a compelling insight into American art collecting in the 1920s and 1930s.

Several names in the Collection speak to Eaton’s personal connection with

artists in Provincetown, such as Gerrit A. Beneker (Lots 43 and 44 in Freeman’s Hindman June 8 auction), Frank H. Desch (Lots 12 and 15 in Freeman’s Hindman June 8 auction) and Henri Hensche, who were not only family friends but also authored many portraits of several members of the Eaton family, including Dr. Eaton himself (shown here in a ceremonial way, elegantly draped in a blackcloak with dashing red lapels). The collection also includes several beautiful and sentimental portraits of Mary Eaton “Mimi” Groves, Eaton’s daughter who studied under Hensche, in addition to her husband, the Very Reverend Joseph Groves (Lots 28 and 29), their daughter Patricia (Lot 26), and son Jeff (Lot 25).

Portrait of Dr. Percival Eaton, 1928