Thursday 11th December - Cynthia

 I'm giving blood today so I better get this done before I give up an armful and am too weak to do anything other than lay on the sofa eating chocolate biscuits (medicinal, obviously). So what have we got today?

Cynthia (1917) William Strang

I chose this lass because it is such a beautiful portrait, although I wish I knew who she was. I'll come back to that. Let's start with that glorious golden blouse which provides a nice amount of light in an otherwise quite russet painting.  Her red hair is echoed in her red skirt and I especially like the little dots of colour that are illuminating the book as it slips into shadow...

I think the picture is of flowers, possibly? I really like the pink and red against the white, it's very effective.

As beautiful as she is, I fear Cynthia reminds me of all artists' models of this period, who all seem to look extremely sad.  Given the date, I guess it is understandable as mostly likely they have just found out their beloved has disappeared into no-man's land, never to be seen in one piece again. The deep introspection of Cynthia seems to be weighing her down to the point that all her clothes seem to be dragging downwards too, with the book sliding from her knee as well. Why is she so sad? Who is she?

I started by wondering if she was a member of the family - I would think Cynthia is around 20 here (possibly a little younger) I wondered if she was Strang's daughter, but no that was Agnes (1893-1953) better known as Nancy, however Nancy married Captain William Martin in 1917, so it might be a portrait of her as a character although that seems a bit convoluted. On that note, I also checked William's sons to see if they married Cynthia, but William jnr (1886-1952) (also an artist) married Frances; David (1887-1968) married Dorothy; Peter (1889-?) didn't marry as far as I can see, too busy playing rugby; and Roy (1891-1951) married Eva. No joy there then, but what about Cynthias in William's circle?

Cynthia Asquith (1917) Augustus John

I thought I was on a winner with Cynthia Asquith (1887-1960) as she had red hair, modelled for paintings and was a writer which might explain the book, but I'm not sure she looks like our model and at 30, might be a tad old (apologies to Lady Asquith). What about Cynthia Curzon?

Cynthia Mosley (nee Curzon) (1929) Cecil Beaton

Yes, she married Oswald Mosley in 1920, but never mind that, we all make mistakes, Cynthia Curzon (1898-1933) looks far more promising and would be 19 in the painting.  I think her long face is very suitable, but reports say her hair was corn coloured, not russet. Of course, she could be just an artist model called Cynthia. Rats.

Lady with a Red Hat (1918)

William Strang was born in Dunbartonshire and after a brief stint as a clerk in a shipbuilding office, studied at the Slade. He is probably best known these days for his portrait of Vita Sackville West in a red hat (with a book) from 1918, which is why I would not discount that Cynthia isn't also a society girl. He had a house in Hamilton Terrace in St John's Wood which became a meeting place for the great and good in society and where he became good friends with Thomas Hardy. He had been suffering from ill health in 1921 so he and his wife went to Bournemouth, but during dinner he suffered a seizure and died, aged 62. No reflection on Bournemouth, which is lovely, obviously.

See you tomorrow.