American actress, model, and socialite (1943–1971) known as one of Andy Warhol's superstars and muse to Bob Dylan. Adorable original painting of a squirrel climbing a tree, accomplished in acrylic by Edie Sedgwick on the lid of a handsome round wooden box, measuring 2.5˝ in diameter and 2˝ tall, signed on the rim in white, "ES - 62." Sedgwick's careful rendering captures the squirrel in a lifelike pose as it clings to the trunk of a tree, with excellent detail in its fur, eyes, and feet. In fine condition.
Sedgwick left the St. Timothy's School boarding school in 1959 and returned to her family’s La Laguna ranch in California, where she remained until she was sent to the private Silver Hill psychiatric hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut, in the fall of 1962. Her date notation of 1962 places her at the age of either 18 or 19 when this work was created. Sedgwick’s childhood on the ranch instilled in her a great love for animals of all sizes, from majestic horses to squirrels and rodents.
In Jean Stein’s book Edie: An American Biography, Alice ‘Saucie’ Sedgwick mentions her younger sister’s artwork while at Silver Hill: ‘Edie made good use of the facilities, particularly the OT, occupational therapy. She made lots of objects—a cheeseboard over there on the table. The design’s faded, but there were five mice on it, very deftly drawn.’
