Vita Sackville-West

by William Rothenstein
red and black chalk, 1925
16 1/8 in. x 11 7/8 in. (408 mm x 302 mm)
Bequeathed by Nigel Nicolson, 2005
Primary Collection
NPG 6716

Sitterback to top

Victoria Mary ('Vita') Sackville-West (1892-1962), Writer and gardener; wife of Sir Harold Nicolson. Sitter associated with 28 portraits.

Artistback to top

Sir William Rothenstein (1872-1945), Artist and teacher of art. Artist associated with 222 portraits, Sitter in 24 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Acquired many years after it was drawn and given to Vita Sackville-West's husband, Harold Nicolson, by their sons, Ben and Nigel, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Harold is recorded as describing it with characteristic bluntness: 'Vita was a beautiful woman and this is an ugly one'.

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Life lines: Recently acquired 20th Century drawings (31 October 2009 - 25 April 2010)
Portraits on paper (29 July 2006 - 3 December 2006)

Subject/Themeback to top

Chalk

Events of 1925back to top

Current affairs

On the advice of the Governor of the Bank of England, Montagu Norman, Winston Churchill returns British currency to the Gold Standard. This caused deflation across the empire as the value of the pound returned to the pre-war gold price, leading to unemployment, the miners' strike and the general strike in 1926.

Art and science

John Logie Baird transmits the first television images of a ventriloquist's dummy. The BBC used Logie Baird's invention from 1927 until 1935 when they adopted EMI-Marconi's superior electronic scanning system.
Virginia Woolf publishes her innovative 'stream of consciousness' novel, Mrs Dalloway, which chronicles a day in the life of the protagonist through her interior monologue.

International

Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs represents Britain at the Locarno Treaties. Lorcano secured the post-war territorial settlement and established pledges of non-aggression between various European Nations. The 'spirit of Locarno' helped secure Germany's admission into the League of Nations in 1926. Chamberlain was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in the peace agreement.

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