Henry James

Sitterback to top

• Henry James (1843-1916), Novelist. Sitter in 16 portraits.

Artistback to top

• John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), Portrait and landscape painter and muralist. Artist associated with 70 portraits, Sitter in 4 portraits.

This portraitback to top

The American-born novelist Henry James settled in England, at Lamb House, Rye, in 1898. By the time this portrait was painted he was at the end of a career which had seen the success of early novels such as Portrait of a Lady (1881), followed by the late masterpieces The Wings of the Dove (1902) and The Golden Bowl (1904). This portrait was commissioned to celebrate James's seventieth birthday by a group of 269 subscribers organised by the American novelist Edith Wharton, although ultimately Sargent, a fellow American and friend, waived his fee. When it was completed James pronounced the portrait to be 'a living breathing likeness and a masterpiece of painting'.

Related worksback to top

• NPG D9807: Henry James (source portrait)
• NPG D36465: Henry James (source portrait)
• NPG D36466: Henry James (source portrait)
• NPG D42568: Henry James (after)

Linked publicationsback to top

• Audio Guide
• Victorian Portraits Resource Pack, p. 38
• Cooper, John, Visitor's Guide, 2000, p. 85
• Cooper, John, A Guide to the National Portrait Gallery, 2009, p. 45
• Funnell, Peter, Victorian Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery Collection, 1996, p. 38
• Funnell, Peter (introduction); Marsh, Jan, A Guide to Victorian and Edwardian Portraits, 2011, p. 42
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 333

Subjects & Themesback to top

• On display at the Gallery
• Portraits with Archive documents