Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
Works on loan
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sidney-starr-523" aria-label="More by Sidney Starr" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Sidney Starr</a>
in Blue and Grey
Presented by F. Howard 1934
actions: postures and motions
adults
clothing and personal items
glove
hat
individuals: female
named individuals
objects
people
portraits
standing
Williams, Cyprian, Mrs
woman
<p>The sitter for this painting is unidentified, and the title suggests Starr’s focus is colour and tone. An early reviewer said it ‘scarcely calls for comment except from its reticence and a certain sense of quiet harmony.’ Starr was a pupil at the Slade School in London in its early years. He was one of the chief exhibitors at the ‘London Impressionists’ exhibition of 1889. In 1892 he emigrated to the United States, and became a successful painter and decorative designer in New York.</p><p><em>Gallery label, October 2020</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
14 December 2012 – 26 September 2022
2022-09-26
10 December 2012 – 25 September 2022
2022-09-25
2012-12-10
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2012-12-14
Gallery 4
Collection based display
24 May 2024 – 24 September 2024
2024-09-24
24 May 2024 – 22 September 2024
2024-09-22
2024-05-24
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen (Rouen, France)
2024-05-24
Whistler and Europe: the butterfly effect
Loan-out
Study in Blue and Grey
support: 1905 × 1073 mm
frame: 2010 × 1170 × 90 mm
Presented by F. Howard 1934
<div class="text">
<p>The sitter for this painting is unidentified, and the title suggests Starr’s focus is colour and tone. An early reviewer said it ‘scarcely calls for comment except from its reticence and a certain sense of quiet harmony.’ Starr was a pupil at the Slade School in London in its early years. He was one of the chief exhibitors at the ‘London Impressionists’ exhibition of 1889. In 1892 he emigrated to the United States, and became a successful painter and decorative designer in New York.</p>
</div>

Display caption
2020-10-13T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N04766</b> STUDY IN BLUE AND GREY 1891</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘Starr’ b.l.
<br/>Canvas, 75×42 1/4 (190·5×107).
<br/>Presented by Francis Howard 1934.
<br/><i>Coll:</i> Mrs Cyprian Williams 1891; D. Croal Thomson, who acquired it some time during the 1920s, sold Christie's, 21 December 1933 (77), as ‘A Study in Grey’, bt. F. Howard.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> N.E.A.C., November–December 1891 (44).</p>
<p>The artist exhibited at least four female <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/portrait" title="Glossary definition for 'Portrait'"><span>portraits</span></a> at the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/n/new-english-art-club" title="Glossary definition for 'New English Art Club'"><span>N.E.A.C</span></a>. between 1890 and April 1892, the year in which he left for the U.S.A. The Tate picture, sometimes known simply as ‘Portrait of a Lady’, can be identified with the N.E.A.C. exhibit of 1891 on the basis of Press reviews of the exhibition which contain descriptions of this work. Thus the reviewer of the <i>Daily Telegraph</i>, 10 December 1891, wrote: ‘A whole-length, life-size portrait of a lady standing, looking over her shoulder, “Study in Blue and Grey”, scarcely calls for comment except from its reticence and a certain sense of quiet harmony.’ Other critics note that the subject is in grey walking attire and set against a dark blue background. The conscious imitation of Whistler, both in style and choice of title, is also remarked upon.The sitter remains unidentified, but a clue may be given by the fact that the portrait was lent to the N.E.A.C. by Mrs Cyprian Williams (see P. Wilson Steer, <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/steer-mrs-cyprian-williams-and-her-two-little-girls-n04422" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N04422</span></a>, ‘Mrs Cyprian Williams and her two little girls’). It is just possible that Mrs Williams was the subject, as a comparison with the Wilson Steer portrait reveals certain similarities of feature between the two.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-06T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions adults clothing and personal items glove hat individuals: female named individuals objects people portraits standing Williams, Cyprian, Mrs woman