Dorothy

A large feathered hat.
A girl in a pure white dress sits in a grand chair.

At the turn of the 20th century, in 1900.
Dressing children like miniature adults for portraits was a status symbol among the upper class.
Painted with Sargent's swift brushstrokes, this picture appears to be a perfect record of an adorable girl.

However, in reality.
It seems the painting was not a happy memory for the subject herself.

The model was Dorothy Williamson, who was two or three years old at the time.
Her grandfather was George Miller Williamson.
He was an American collector of first editions of modern literature and a patron of Sargent.

He commissioned a portrait of his granddaughter, and work began in Sargent's Tite Street studio in London.
It was a luxurious space adorned with antique silks and Chinese screens.
A gramophone and a grand piano were also present to entertain clients.

Dorothy was seated in a distinctive armchair that was always kept in the studio.
However, she was a two or three-year-old toddler.

Sargent was desperate to capture her attention as she moved around.
He tried to distract her with oranges and toys.
He played the piano improvisationally.
He sang comical songs, trying to get her to hold her pose.