Sir William Nicholson (1872-1949)

Diamond Evelyn Violet Hardinge (1900-1927) was the only daughter of Lord Hardinge of Penhurst, Viceroy of India between 1910 and 1916. Nicholson had travelled to India in December 1914 with a commission to paint the Viceroy (Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi); this portrait of his fourteen year old daughter dates from the early months of the following year. Hardinge was devoted to Diamond, who had been named after the winner of the 1900 Derby, 'Diamond Jubilee' - King Edward VII's horse. She later acted as his hostess when he was British Ambassador in Paris between 1920 and 1922, and is mentioned in several memoirs of the period.

On the basis of a sepia photograph showing the portrait in its current, original frame, Lillian Browse included the unidentified, undated portrait in her catalogue of Nicholson's works using a descriptive title, Young Woman with Long Hair. The frame was made in India.

We are very grateful to Patricia Reed for preparing the catalogue entries for lots 28 and 35.