Souvenir of an "International Ball" (Portrait of Miss Kathleen Bruce)1907 · Study 1979.16

Context from the museum

The subject for this portrait is Miss Kathleen Bruce, later Lady Scott, the widow of Antarctic explorer Sir Robert F. Scott. However, as the picture's original title underlines (Souvenir of an "International Ball"), the identity of the sitter is less important than her treatment as a decorous object. Highlighting the woman in front of a shadowed screen decorated with foliage, Shannon positioned her to ensure her hoop skirt billowed out and filled the large chair. The result is a "bouquet" of fabrics and bows which bursts forth from the real bouquet of flowers nestled upon the woman's lap. Shannon's debt to the Venetian Renaissance painter Titian (about 1489-1576) is evident in the loose brushwork he used to represent realistically the soft material of the dress and to heighten the sense of ornamentation. Although aware of contemporary art movements, he instead preferred to follow the art of previous masters like Titian. He shared this love of older tradition with his living and working partner, Charles Ricketts (1866-1931), as well as with Alphonse Legros (1837-1911), a French-born artist who was an important teacher in Britain.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Souvenir of an "International Ball" (Portrait of Miss Kathleen Bruce) is 87.2 cm wide and 116.8 cm high, equivalent to approximately 34.3 × 46.0 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.75:1. The rectangular bounding area is 1.02 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 29.1% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 106.4 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Souvenir of an "International Ball" (Portrait of Miss Kathleen Bruce) in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 87.2 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?