Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell 1883-1937

This sensitive portrait of a glamorous lady dates from around 1912, at a time when Cadell was particularly interested in portraiture and producing several of his most attractive studies of feminine beauty. Notable examples of this period include Valentine Ford of 1911 (Private collection) and Mrs Chiene of 1912 (Private collection), the latter also painted on an unprimed canvas of the same dimensions. It is possible that Portrait of a Young Lady was painted as a pendant to Mrs Chiene and may therefore depict a daughter of George Chiene, one of Cadell's most loyal friends and patrons.

Cadell painted a total of nine portraits and his first studio interior in 1911, which anticipated the series of studies of the society beauty Miss Bertia Hamilton Don-Wauchope (1864-1944), posed as lady of fashion in Cadell's drawing room. This series of dramatic paintings includes Afternoon of 1913 (Private collection), Reflections (Summer) of 1913 (Private collection) and The Black Hat also painted around 1913 (Sotheby's, Hopetoun House, 14 April 2003, lot 110). Unlike the larger paintings of women posed beside fireplaces or gazing into ornate mirrors, Portrait of Young Lady more directly captures the relaxed elegance of this unknown sitter, with an immediacy and panache which is typical of this period in the artist's career.