SIR GERALD FESTUS KELLY, P.R.A., R.H.A. | Jane XIII

The sitter's niece Maud Ryan and thence by descent to the present owner

Dublin, Royal Hibernian Academy, 1964, no.131

The picture is unlined. The paint surface is a little dirty and would benefit from a clean. There is a small area of paint loss to the left of her nose and very minor losses in the background. UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT There are two fine lines of retouching to the girl's right cheek and another to her chin. There is also a small area of retouching above her head. FRAME The picture is contained in a simple gilt frame.
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This may be the earliest portrait by Kelly of an artist’s model who became his wife in 1920. Her name was Lilian Ryan but Kelly gave her the sobriquet ‘Jane’ and painted her more than fifty times, exhibiting a portrait titled Jane every year at the Royal Academy.When Queen Mary was introduced to her, she exclaimed "Jane, of the many Jane's!" such was the fame of the portraits.