Nora McMullen Mellon (Mrs. Andrew W. Mellon)

1910

James Jebusa Shannon

Associated Names
James Jebusa Shannon

Painter, British, 1862 - 1923

This painting shows a woman in a full-body portrait. She is standing with her body turned slightly to the right, looking out at us. The woman has pale skin, rosy cheeks, dark eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and red lips in a slight smile. Her dark hair is styled in an intricate updo. She wears a golden-yellow gown with a low neck, puffed, sheer sleeves, and a skirt that drapes down her legs and trails behind her. She holds a red flower in her right hand, and a dark wrap or shawl is draped over her left arm, her left hand on her hip. A gold ring is visible on her left hand, and she has round golden earrings. The background is dark, with what looks like a sculpture or fountain behind her on the left. The rest of the background is in tones of brown, green, cream, and pale yellow.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Paul Mellon Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 210.8 x 125.1 cm (83 x 49 1/4 in.)
    framed: 221.6 x 134.6 x 6.4 cm (87 1/4 x 53 x 2 1/2 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1999.79.33


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

The sitter, Nora McMullen Mellon [Mrs. Andrew W. Mellon, 1879-1973]; her estate; her son, Paul Mellon, Upperville, Virginia; bequest 1999 to NGA.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1991

  • Kopper, Philip. America's National Gallery of Art: A Gift to the Nation. New York, 1991: 50, 54, repro.

Inscriptions

lower right: J J Shannon 1910

Wikidata ID

Q20191419

You may be interested in

Loading Results