Deirdre Daines (British b.1950) Portrait Prudence Glynn Oil on Canvas

Fine Art : Paintings : Oil

 

Deirdre Daines (British b.1950); Portrait of Prudence Loveday Glynn, Lady Windlesham (1935-1986); oil on canvas; signed lower right; New Grafton Gallery exhibition label verso; in a gilt wood frame by J.T. Burns and Company, London (label verso); 83.5 x 61.5cm (32.75 x 24.25ins) sight (visible canvas) size.

A fine and important portrait by a leading contemporary artist, of a most interesting subject, with an excellent and interesting provenance.

PROVENANCE: This portrait is one of three commissioned by Prudence Glynn from different artists in 1976, the others being by Kenneth Green and David Remfrey, which were the subject of an article by Prudence Glynn in The Times of March 18 1976 (our thanks to Deirdre Daines for a copy of this article, which will be included with the portrait, together with her accompanying letter). This portrait was exhibited in 1979 at the New Grafton Gallery, 42 Old Bond Street, London, and then passed into the possession of the late Donald Percival Savage (1926-2008), thence to us from his estate.

CONDITION: The painting is in good original condition, unlined, with no signs of retouching or over-painting (examined under ultraviolet light); no significant negative issues; a few very minor imperfections, mostly original: a faint 25mm indentation line from rear of canvas; a small paint run at bottom of canvas, a faint fingerprint-like patch lower right; faint stretcher marks; a couple of superficial scratches, the most noticeable by her chin; a little dirty - might benefit from a very light clean (unless clearly necessary, our usual policy is not to carry out any cleaning or conservation work prior to sale, however we will be happy to have this painting sensitively cleaned by our expert conservators for a small additional cost).

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Born in 1950, Deirdre Daines studied at the Royal Academy Schools under Peter Greenham CBE. Her work has been awarded the Royal Academy Silver Medal for Painting, the David Murray for Landscape, the Eric Kennnington Prize for Drawing and the Elizabeth Greenshield Prize. Her solo exhibitions include the Royal Academy School Common Room, Cale Art Gellery, Chelsea, London and Thomas Agnew Gallery, Bond Street, London. Her mixed exhibitions include Thomas Agnew Gallery, Bond Street, London; New Grafton Gallery; Petley Fine Art, Cork Street; Royal Society of Portrait Painters; Royal Academy Summer Exhibition; Highgate Gallery; Watermans, Jermyn Street; Pattersons; Fosse Gallery; Langton Gallery, Chelsea. She is an elected Member of the New English Art Club.

SUBJECT BIOGRAPHY: Prudence Loveday Glynn (married name Prudence Loveday Hennessy, Lady Windlesham) (1935–1986), fashion writer, was born on 22 January 1935 in London. She began her career in advertising, then worked for Frank Usher, the dress company before writing for women's magazines and becoming fashion editor of Women's Mirror. In 1965 she married David Hennessy, third Baron Windlesham, a Conservative politician and later managing director of the ATV television network, they had one son and one daughter. She was very tall, slim, elegant, and self-deprecating, describing herself as having a face like a currant bun.

In 1966 she was appointed the first fashion editor of The Times, a post she held until 1980. Her articles were renowned for their stylishness and wit, and often poked fun at the self-importance of the fashion world. She particularly championed British designers, including Jean Muir and the pop designer Ossie Clark (1942–1996), choosing a trouser suit of his as the 1968 dress of the year for the Museum of Costume in Bath. Prudence Glynn crusaded to raise British fashion to the level of French fashion, which led to government initiatives to promote British designs. She was widely respected and highly respected as a fashion journalist, yet many people read her articles not because they were interested in fashion, but because they were fun to read.

She was member of the council of the Royal College of Art from 1969 to 1977, and the Design Council from 1973 to 1979. She was also on the Council for National Academic Awards committee for art and design from 1972, and a member of the Crafts Council from 1977 to 1980. She was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1974.

She published two books: “Fashion: Dress in the Twentieth Century (1978)”, and “Skin to Skin: Eroticism in Dress (1982)”

Prudence Glynn died on 24 September 1986 in the St Charles Hospital, Kensington, London.

KEY PROVENANCE BIOGRAPHY: Donald Percival Savage (1926-2008), better known as Percy Savage, introduced Yves Saint Laurent to Christian Dior, and was the inspiration for the choice of Eau Sauvage as the name for Dior's well-known scent for men. He also promoted Mary Quant's career and was a moving spirit behind London Fashion Week. He was the original fashion publicist and was renowned as a master of the black arts of the public relations industry, setting up many outrageous PR stunts to earn highly valuable column inches of free publicity.

In 1954 Savage arranged for Elizabeth Taylor to be pictured arriving for a Parisian film première in a Lanvin dress which pioneered the PR cliché of celebrities arriving on red carpets in designer dresses. He also arranged what are now termed "photo opportunities" for such fashion icons as Jackie Kennedy and Farah Dibah, who married the Shah of Iran.

He presented the British designer Mary Quant to the American press, propelling her on to the cover of Life magazine, and escorted Maria Callas after her split with the Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia gave him two pet cheetahs, which Savage would take for walks in the Bois de Boulogne. After meeting Yves Saint Laurent in 1954 Savage introduced him to his friend Christian Dior, who took on the young designer as an assistant.

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Item ID: RL-0594