Henry James, 1913

The author Henry James (1843–1916) is remembered for his novels that explore the conflict between American and European attitudes, such as The Portrait of a Lady (1881). His compatriot John Singer Sargent was born in Florence to American expatriates, and later moved to England, establishing himself as the leading portrait painter of his generation. James and Sargent were good friends and their closeness perhaps explains the difficulty Sargent found in executing his portrait. He had portrayed James three times previously, but remained dissatisfied with his efforts.

This portrait was commissioned to celebrate James’ seventieth birthday. When it was completed James pronounced the portrait to be ‘a living breathing likeness and a masterpiece of painting’. The portrait achieved notoriety while on display at the Royal Academy in 1914 because it was slashed by Mrs Mary Wood, a militant suffragette. Although it was fully restored by the artist, the tears in the canvas can still be discerned.

National Portrait Gallery, London Bequeathed by Henry James, 1916
© National Portrait Gallery, London