Herbert James Gunn studied at the Glasgow School Art and Edinburgh College of Art before moving to Paris in 1911 where he entered the Académie Julian. By 1929, he had established himself as a portrait painter and worked very successfully in this field, receiving commissions from prime ministers, leading literary figures and royalty. Gunn married his second wife, Pauline, in 1929 and she was the model for some of his most successful works. The setting for this painting is the lobby of Claridge’s. In the foreground, Pauline is painted in sharp detail, while behind her, in softer focus, Gunn depicts the life of the hotel – a woman lighting her friend’s cigarette, the waiter and the pianist. Unlike his other more straightforward portraits, Pauline Waiting has a slight narrative element, with a frisson of suggestiveness as to whom Pauline may be waiting for in this smart London hotel. Gunn is sometimes known as Sir James Gunn and Sir Herbert James Gunn. Pauline knew him as her spouse. She is depicted as an elegant and poised high society lady of privilege in fashionable attire for England in the late 1930s and early 1940s. With excellent use of crisp, clear lines, Gunn created a painting that holds the viewer's fascination. Pauline is rendered beautifully and styled very intensely, catching the our eye. She waits calmly, though perhaps she comes across a little impatient. This may be due to the intense effect created by her contrasting skin and lipstick, as well as her clothing, because her expression does not appear agitated. Instead, she seems to be gazing at something we cannot see, which naturally intrigues us. We are left to ponder Pauline's beautiful face with her dark, keen eyes. She stands out, black in a bright setting, but also as a beacon of intrigue in an otherwise uninteresting setting.
Pauline Waiting by Sir Herbert James Gunn (Scottish) - Oil on canvas / 1939 - Royal Academy of Arts (London, England) #womeninart #art #portraitofawoman #oilpainting #RoyalAcademyofArts #JamesGunn #HerbertJamesGunn #RA #portrait #RoyalAcademy #ScottishArtist #BritishArtist #womensart #SirJamesGunn
