# Lady in Blue life-size portrait (help identifying time period based on dress)



## hammitchris (Feb 20, 2016)

I saw this in an antique shop today, came very close to buying, just want to do a bit more research first. It is close to a life-sized portrait from a local estate. They are asking $399, but said they would come down maybe 10-15%. Can anyone tell me when they think it may have been painted by the woman's dress? I was guessing maybe 1940's or earlier? There is no signature that I can tell. It was hanging up pretty high so I couldn't get a good look at the back, but the canvas looked like it had some age to it based on the color. They told me they think it is either of Susan Jenkins or one of her relatives since it came from her estate auction back in January in Knoxville, TN. I am thinking the woman may be related to the Judge Ray Howard Jenkins, who was involved in the famous Senator Joseph McCarthy U.S. Senate hearings on communism in the 1950's, but I'm still trying to I.D. her.


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## Mel_Robertson (Feb 23, 2016)

(skewed for research purpose)


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## Mel_Robertson (Feb 23, 2016)

this paintings nowhere online + no information, sorry.


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## hammitchris (Feb 20, 2016)

meli said:


> this paintings nowhere online + no information, sorry.


That's ok, thank you for trying and for cropping it for research purposes! I've reached out to the auction house that originally sold it to the antique store. I'm waiting to hear back from them. I'm hoping to find out who the woman is and who the painter was. I was able to rule out that she is not related to the Judge Jenkins as previously mentioned. I spoke with his grandson today. I did show it to an artist at a local gallery and she said she thinks the time period based on the woman's dress is circa 1910-1929.


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## Mel_Robertson (Feb 23, 2016)

I'm keen to discover what you learn about this beautiful piece, I hope you stick around


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

To me the clothes look more 1920ish than 1940ish. Also short hair was very stylish in the 20's, no so much so in the 40's.


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## hammitchris (Feb 20, 2016)

TerryCurley said:


> To me the clothes look more 1920ish than 1940ish. Also short hair was very stylish in the 20's, no so much so in the 40's.


Thank you! I agree now that you mention it. I'm hoping to hear back from the auction house that sold it to the antique shop so I can try to identify the woman.


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## Lee (Jun 12, 2016)

meli said:


> (skewed for research purpose)


Could this be a portrait of knoxville socialite Ellen McClung Berry?


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## Desdichado (May 26, 2016)

Sorry Chris, couldn't resist your blue lady. Not oils in a gilded frame, just watercolour impression on a sketch book page. Took about ninety minutes, sort of painting something without actually painting much. That's impressionism. Not $399 though, this one's free. Hope you don't mind...:wink:


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## Mel_Robertson (Feb 23, 2016)

great work @Desdichado


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## Desdichado (May 26, 2016)

A bit of info, for what it's worth: The lady's necklace in the painting is what was known as a "flapper" necklace and was a product of the 1920's era. The "_Charlston_" was all the rage as a dance at the time and women would twirl these things around as part of the fun. Based on that and the general clothes style, I'd say the painting was done between 1920 and 1930.


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