Sir James Jebusa Shannon was known as a painter of figure subjects and society portraits. Born to Irish parents on February 3 1862 in New York, the artist came to London 1878 and studied at the Royal College of Arts, exhibiting at the Royal Academy between 1881 and 1922, as well as the Grosvenor Gallery.<\/p>\n
Shannon was a founder of the New English Art Club, set up in 1886 as an exhibiting society by artists influenced by impressionism whose works were rejected by the conservative Royal Academy. Initially avant-garde, his\u00a0fellow key early members included James Abbott McNeill Whistler (although he soon resigned), Walter Sickert and Philip Steer.<\/p>\n
Ten years later, Shannon\u2019s first solo exhibition arrived at the Fine Art Society, He was knighted a year before his death in 1923, with a memorial exhibition held soon after at the Leicester Galleries.<\/p>\n
Diana was the granddaughter of William Stanford, who inherited the magnificent 18th century manor house of Preston Manor, which is now one of the grandest heritage sites in the UK, on the outskirts of Brighton. Born in 1866, she was one of three daughters of Eleanor Montague Morris and Captain George Varnham Macdonald.<\/p>\n
According to fashion history site Grand Ladies, Diana\u2019s bertha and cuffs have two layers in the portrait: a sheer upper outer layer and a lace lower layer, making the lace cuffs engageantes (false sleeves).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sir James Jebusa Shannon was known as a painter of figure subjects and society portraits. Born to Irish parents on February 3 1862 in New York, the artist came to London 1878 and studied at the Royal College of Arts, exhibiting at the Royal Academy between 1881 and 1922, as well as the Grosvenor Gallery. … Continue reading Portrait of Diana MacDonald<\/span>