38

JAMES JEBUSA SHANNON

American, 1862-1923

The Doll (Kitty in Fancy Dress)

oil on canvas
signed J.J.S. lower right
30 x 24 in., frame: 42 x 36 in.

  • Provenance: The artist; his wife, Lady Florence Shannon; the artist's daughter (the subject), Kitty Shannon Keigwin; the artist's granddaughter, Julia Gibbons; the Estate of Julia Gibbons.

    Exhibitions: London, Fine Art Society, 1896; London, Leicester Galleries, 1923, no. 15.
  • Literature:
    - Catalogue of an Exhibition of Paintings by the Late Sir James J. Shannon, R.A. London, Leicester Galleries, June-July, 1923.
    - Alfred Lys Baldry, J.J. Shannon, Painter. Magazine of Art, 20 (November 1896), pp. 1-5, illus. p. 4.
    - 'Art Exhibitions,' Times (London), June 20, 1896, 19.
    - 'A Noted Portrait Painter, Death of Sir J.J. Shannon, R.A.,' Times (London), March 3, 1923.
    - 'Art Exhibitions. The Late Sir J. J. Shannon's Paintings,' Morning Post, June 19, 1923.
  • Notes: James Shannon's work in the late 1880s is celebrated for bridging the gap between tradition and innovation. This cheerful portrait of the artist's daughter Kitty playing with her dolls showcases Shannon's affinity for painting his daughter and wife, as well as the influence of the Spanish master Diego Velazquez (1599-1660) on his portraiture. A critic viewing the portrait of Kitty at the artist's one-man exhibition in 1896 described the painting as a "Velasquez-like child, playing with a doll." Though, while the broad brushwork and refined palette of soft pinks, greys, and blacks are reminiscent of the Spanish baroque painter, Shannon's sitter is masterfully captured in motion rather than the static poses typical of Velasquez.
  • Condition: Minor craquelure along upper edge; very minor inpainting in areas of craquelure and in upper left corner (from frame rub); presents well, in overall good condition.

    Please note: All property is sold "AS IS" and any statement, whether oral or written, is given as a courtesy and shall not be deemed as a guarantee, warranty, or representation of the authenticity of authorship, physical condition, size, quality, rarity, importance, provenance, exhibitions, literature or historical relevance of the property or otherwise. The absence of a condition report does not imply the item is in perfect condition.

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May 1, 2022 11:00 AM EDT
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