probably Henry Crowder; Nancy Cunard
© reserved; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
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probably Henry Crowder; Nancy Cunard
by Anthony Wysard
watercolour, 1928
8 1/4 in. x 10 3/8 in. (211 mm x 267 mm)
Purchased, 1991
Reference Collection
NPG D289
Sittersback to top
- Henry Crowder (1890-1955), Jazz musician. Sitter associated with 1 portrait.
- Nancy Clara Cunard (1896-1965), Poet and political activist. Sitter in 6 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Anthony Wysard (1907-1984), Caricaturist. Artist or producer associated with 58 portraits, Sitter associated with 2 portraits.
This portraitback to top
This is a historical work of art which reflects the attitudes and viewpoints of the time in which it was made. Whilst these may differ from today's attitudes, this image is an important historical document.
Henry Crowder, a largely self-taught African-American jazz musician, was on an eight week residency at Hotel Luna in Venice when he first met Nancy Cunard in 1928.
Cunard was from a wealthy family who owned the famous Cunard Cruise shipping line, but she forged a career as a poet, publisher and political activist. She was also a member of the Bright Young Things, a set of Bohemian socialites and aristocrats.
This portrait was made in the year that Crowder and Cunard met, according to the first inscription on the portrait both were 'Seen at the Private View of Mr Van Hoss one man show at Cresta Galleries'. The other part of the inscription describes Cunard as 'Lady Dark Brown and Friend (Also Dark Brown) She's funny that way'. This would suggest that Cunard's association with Crowder began to define her but also that it was accepted or tolerated as some kind of eccentric or 'funny' quirk on her part.
Crowder is depicted with overly exaggerated, stereotypical features of a black man - extremely large nostrils, bulbous lips, long arms reaching past his knees and huge hands. Cunard is depicted in contrast with daintily small feet and hands, pursed lips and a sharp nose. The strong emphasis on differences in physical appearance was intended to highlight attitudes at the time that would have seen the couple as incompatible based on perceived differences in physical appearance, societal standing and most significantly, due to differences in their skin colour. The discriminatory cartoon suggests that they are biologically opposing.
Such sentiments would have been shared by many, including Cunard's own family who disinherited her from the family's fortune largely due to her affair with Crowder.
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1928back to top
Current affairs
The Representation of the People Act 1928 grants women the same rights to vote as men. Building on reform of 1918, this Act lowered the voting age for women from 30 to 21, and removed the ownership of property requirements.Art and science
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin. The Scottish scientist's identification of the first antibiotic revolutionised the treatment of infection and is a landmark in medical history. By the Second World War, penicillin was being used to treat wounded soldiers and had a major impact on survival rates of those with infected wounds.International
Stalin announces the Soviet Union's first Five-Year plan of economic development. Based on Lenin's New Economic Policy, the Five-Year Plans aimed to expand the country's economy through rapid centralised industrialisation.Comments back to top
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Caroline Ferguson
05 October 2020, 14:24
This picture appears in E Waugh's Decline and Fall and depicts Margot Bestye Chetwynde and her paramoor Chokey watching Peter Bestye Chetwynde at the school sports day. Waugh had been to the Royal Academy's Summer exhibtition of 1926 and saw the picture The Breakdown by John Bulloch Souter(1890-1972)before it was removed .This picture depicted a character in top hat and tails playing the saxophone sitting on a fallen statue of Athene while a naked woman dances in a trance...Both Olivia Plunkett Green and Olivia Wyndham patronised the 1920s Jazz scene.