Title: Gertrude Vernon, Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1864-1932) Artist: John Singer Sargent (American [active in England], 1856-1925) Date: 1892 Genre: portraiture Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: 127 cm (50 in) high x 101 cm (39.8 in) wide Location: National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Exhibited at the Royal Academy the year after its completion, this painting was instrumental in winning John Singer Sargent the position of the UK's premier high society portraitist.
The subject of the painting is Gertrude Vernon, an Englishwoman who in 1889 had married Sir Andrew Agnew, Baronet of Lochnaw Castle. Singer Sargent depicted Lady Agnew in three-quarters view, wearing a white gown with a mauve sash and backed by a wall of blue silk. Her portrait's fame made Lady Agnew a prominent figure in British society, although her later years would be marred by ill health and financial difficulties.
Photo credit: National Galleries of Scotland


























