Portrait Mode

Description

Wilfrid Gabriel de Glehn (1870-1951) British

"Model, Blue Dress, Brittany"

Oil on canvas

Provenance: The Artist’s Studio Estate Atelier number 263.


In the 1920s, Wilfrid de Glehn embarked on a new artistic journey, moving towards a more relaxed style of portraiture. He experimented with various techniques such as using mirrors, playing with half lights, fabrics, and bibelots (decorative objects) to create his desired effects. One notable series of paintings created by Wilfrid between 1921 and 1927 featured sitters adorned in cashmere shawls that he had borrowed from his friend the renowned artist, John Singer Sargent.

One of the subjects of Wilfrid's paintings during this period was Model, Blue Dress, Brittany. The composition and demeanour of the sitter in the painting reflects a similar artistic approach seen in Sargent's formal portrait of his niece, Rose Marie Ormond, who was also depicted wearing a cashmere shawl in 1912.

Notably, the cashmere shawls played a significant role in Sargent's works between 1908 and 1912, with one of his notable pieces simply titled 'Cashmere'. It is interesting to observe how the shawls became a recurring motif in both Sargent's and Wilfrid's paintings, creating a sense of connection between the artists and their subjects.

Furthermore, the association of the shawls with cherished memories of shared experiences, such as sketching trips to the Venice, Frascati and the Alps creates a layer of sentimentality to the artwork, particularly for the de Glehn's. This intertwining of personal experiences with artistic representation enriches the narrative behind the paintings and underscores the significance of the shawls as more than mere accessories.