“Portrait of Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland”
John Singer Sargent is remembered as one of the best portrait painters from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is easy to see why.
“Portrait of Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland” is an oil on canvas painting by the American artist, John Singer Sargent, from 1904. The sitter, Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, was 37 at the time. In 1904, Sargent was at the height of his career. He was able to be more selective and produced noticeably fewer portraits. In 1907, he stopped doing commissioned portraiture altogether.
Sargent depicts the Duchess standing outside in a garden in the shade, with sunlight dappling the ground. She is painted softly. Her fair skin contrasts against the dark greens and browns of the background. Millicent is dressed in a gorgeous long green dress patterned with large flowers. Both sleeves have fallen off her shoulders. Her right-hand rests against a fountain and adorns a single gold bracelet. Her left-hand casually holds several long-stemmed plants. Her auburn hair is swept up. A golden Roman-style laurel wreath sits on top of her head. She stares confidently towards the viewer. Sargent depicts her almost as a fairy or goddess.
The Duchess was born Millicent Saint Clair-Erskine, to the fourth Earl of Rosslyn. In 1884, she married the Duke of Sutherland at age 17, and soon became one of the leading ladies of society. She hosted parties and advocated for the poor. She was an author and wrote several memoirs, novels, and short stories. During the Great War, she established and ran a field hospital in France and organized an ambulance unit in Belgium. She was decorated by Britain, France, and Belgium for her service during the war.
Millicent’s portrait last sold in 1979 for $210,000. At the time, it was the most expense painting ever sold by Sargent.
“Portrait of Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland” is currently on display at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, Spain.
For more on John Singer Sargent, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
