Titles

Only one title has been suggested:

• 'Portrait of Lady Archibald Campbell in Court Dress' (1980, YMSM). 1

Description

It appears to have been a full-length portrait of a woman in spectacular 'court dress', and as described by the sitter: 'The dress was black velvet, the train was silver satin with the Argyle arms embroidered in applique in their proper colours.' 2

The Argyll arms are as follows: Quarterly, first and fourth, a gyronny of eight, or and sable; second and third, argent, a galley, sable, sails furled, flag and pennants flying and oars in action, sable. The crest, a boar's head, fessewise erased, or; armed, argent; langued, gules: supports, two lions guardant, gules. A 'gyronny of eight' is a shield divided into eight gyrons by straight lines all crossing at the fess point.

Sitter

Janey Sevilla Campbell (Lady Archibald Campbell) (ca 1846-d.1923) married Archibald, the second son of the eighth Duke in 1869. She was a beautiful and cultured woman and moved in fashionable circles. Her patronage was important in restoring Whistler's position in London after his bankruptcy. Portrait of Lady Archibald Campbell in Court Dress [YMSM 240] was the first portrait of 'Lady Archie' (see The Grey Lady: Portrait of Lady Archibald Campbell [YMSM 241] and Arrangement in Black: La Dame au brodequin jaune - Portrait of Lady Archibald Campbell [YMSM 242].

She was a pioneer in encouraging the production of pastoral plays, and posed in male costume for Note in Green and Brown: Orlando at Coombe [YMSM 317].

Lady Archie's sister-in-law, Gertrude Elizabeth Campbell (Lady Colin Campbell) (1857-1911), posed to Whistler several years later for another unlocated portrait, Harmony in White and Ivory: Portrait of Lady Colin Campbell [YMSM 354].