John Singer Sargent
, American, 1856-1925
Title
Lady Hazel Lavery, (c.1887-1935), 2nd Wife of the artist Sir John LaveryDate1923
MediumCharcoal on paper
Dimensions
60 x 47 cm
Signedlower left (in charcoal): John S. Sargent.1923
Credit LinePresented, Mrs A. Gwynn, 1982
Object numberNGI.18485
DescriptionSargent was arguably the most internationally fashionable portrait painter of his day. During his final years, instead of his characteristically sumptuos painted society portraits, he offered his clients elegant charcoal likenesses that were not less flattering. He created a great number of these sophisticated portraits often in roughly three hours. Lady Lavery, herself an artist, possibly made a drawing of Sargent in return, hence the inscription 'echange amical'. John Lavery in his autobiography (The Life of a Painter, 1940) recalls his wife's delight with this rich and charming image, stating: 'he has only made me look sixteen'.Inscriptionlower left (in charcoal):to Lady Lavery/ échange amical
ProvenanceLady Lavery; by decent, Mrs. Alice Gwynn; presented, Mrs Alice Gwynn, 1982 Exhibition HistoryRoyal Academy of Arts, London, 1926
John Singer Sargent and the Edwardian Age, National Portrait Gallery, Leeds, Lotherton Hall; Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit, 1979
Acquisitions, 1981-1982, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 1982
Master European Drawings, from the Collection of the National Gallery of Ireland, Ackland Art Museum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Centre, Colorado; Art Gallery, University of Maryland, College Park; Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin; Pierpont Morgan Library, New York; Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana; The Minneapolis Museum of Art, Minnesota; The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, California; National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 1983
Hazel, Lady Lavery: Society and Politics, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Dublin, 18 September - 27 October 1996
John Lavery: Passion and Politics, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, 15 July - 31 October 2010