Frederic William Burton
, Irish, 1816-1900
Title
Helen Faucit (1817-1898), later Lady Martin, as AntigoneDate1845
MediumWatercolour on paper
Dimensions
96 x 63 cm
Credit LineBequeathed, Margaret McNair Stokes, 1900
Object numberNGI.2359
DescriptionHelen Faucit came to dublin in 1845 and was acclaimed for her role as Antigone in a new translation of Sophocles' tragedy. Burton, struck by her beauty and classical profile, made the comparison with figures on a Greek frieze or vase. The portrait has the immediacy of a sketch and reflects the short time he had for completion.ProvenanceBequeathed, Miss M. Stokes, 1900Exhibition HistoryLoan Collection of Works by Sir Frederick W. Burton, R.H.A., National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 1900
The Masque of Beauty, National Portrait Gallery, London, 1972
Aspects of Irish Art, a Loan Exhibition; Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, Columbus, Ohio, 27 January - 3 March 1974; Toledo Museum of Arts, Toledo, Ohio, 17 March - 14 April 1974; St Louis Art Museum, St Louis, Missouri, 3 May - 9 June 1974