John Singer Sargent, R.A. (1856-1925)

This handsome chalk portrait was executed by John Singer Sargent in 1912, and depicts Eric Spencer Fitzwilliam, the 9th Earl Fitzwilliam (1883-1952). The work was commissioned by Mrs Dorothy Walker Heneage, together with a portrait of herself, as the pair were close friends. In a letter dating from March 1912 Sargent notes that he was pleased that Dorothy had a nice recollection of sitting for her portrait, but he couldn’t believe that Earl Fitzwilliam would wish to be drawn again or submit to the operation ‘without anaesthetics’ (S. Walker-Heneage, op. cit., p. 183).
We are grateful to Richard Ormond for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.