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Pauline Waiting by Sir Herbert James Gunn (Scottish) - Oil on canvas / 1939 - Royal Academy of Arts (London, England) #womeninart #art #portraitofawoman #oilpainting #RoyalAcademyofArts #JamesGunn #HerbertJamesGunn #RA #portrait #RoyalAcademy #ScottishArtist #BritishArtist #womensart #SirJamesGunn
Herbert James Gunn studied at the Glasgow School Art and Edinburgh College of Art before moving to Paris in 1911 where he entered the Académie Julian. By 1929, he had established himself as a portrait painter and worked very successfully in this field, receiving commissions from prime ministers, leading literary figures and royalty. Gunn married his second wife, Pauline, in 1929 and she was the model for some of his most successful works. The setting for this painting is the lobby of Claridge’s. In the foreground, Pauline is painted in sharp detail, while behind her, in softer focus, Gunn depicts the life of the hotel – a woman lighting her friend’s cigarette, the waiter and the pianist. Unlike his other more straightforward portraits, Pauline Waiting has a slight narrative element, with a frisson of suggestiveness as to whom Pauline may be waiting for in this smart London hotel. Gunn is sometimes known as Sir James Gunn and Sir Herbert James Gunn. Pauline knew him as her spouse. She is depicted as an elegant and poised high society lady of privilege in fashionable attire for England in the late 1930s and early 1940s. With excellent use of crisp, clear lines, Gunn created a painting that holds the viewer's fascination. Pauline is rendered beautifully and styled very intensely, catching the our eye. She waits calmly, though perhaps she comes across a little impatient. This may be due to the intense effect created by her contrasting skin and lipstick, as well as her clothing, because her expression does not appear agitated. Instead, she seems to be gazing at something we cannot see, which naturally intrigues us. We are left to ponder Pauline's beautiful face with her dark, keen eyes. She stands out, black in a bright setting, but also as a beacon of intrigue in an otherwise uninteresting setting.
March 1, 2025 at 3:09 AM
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Pauline (Gunn) in the Yellow Dress by Sir James Gunn - Oil on canvas / 1944 - Harris Museum (Preston, England) #womeninart #jamesgunn #art #fineart #HarrisMuseum #oilpainting #artwork #portraitofawoman #portrait #sirjamesgunn #womensart #scottishartist #britishartist #painting #wife #spouse #bskyart
This portrait of Pauline (Miller) Gunn, the artist’s wife, seated with two small white dogs caused a sensation when it was first displayed at the Royal Academy in London. It was voted picture of the year and described as ‘the Mona Lisa of 1944’ by the Daily Mail. The lady smirking at us is clearly a well-off woman, wearing beautiful clothes and makeup at a time when clothing was rationed during WWII. The 1930s dress, now purchased by the Harris Museum, is made from high quality and bright viscose fabric, overprinted with a black geometric design. On it are black velvet bows and buttons which are unfastened. Pauline’s expression is captivating, emphasized by the way she is resting her head on her hand, with her index finger touching the side of her cheek. The small dog in Pauline’s lap seems to be looking up at her face in awe, much like many viewers of the painting do. Equally alluring is the mustard colored dress. The attention to detail displayed in the fine pattern throughout the dress is breathtaking. It must have been a labour of love for James Gunn to capture this aspect so perfectly. This portrait is one of five beautiful paintings Gunn completed of his second wife before she passed away in 1950, after a long illness, at just forty-nine. When the painting first arrived at the Harris Museum in Preston, visitors flocked to see her. They were captivated by her gaze and sometimes outraged by the yellow dress, made with extravagant amounts of fabric during war time rationing. At the time, Gunn was one of Britain’s most popular portrait painters. His seemingly effortless style brought him numerous commissions, including the Royal Family, prime ministers, and leading artistic and literary figures of the day.
January 21, 2025 at 2:11 PM
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March 1, 2025 at 3:06 AM