£9,000
Charles Haslewood Shannon RA (British, 1863-1937).
'Portrait of Miss Rachel Castellan', depicting a woman with androgynous charm, dressed in highwayman’s garb sitting with her arms folded, gazing up at the viewer, signed and dated 1915 to lower right, oil on canvas, 73 x 61 cm, mounted in a gilt frame.
Note: Charles Haslewood Shannon RA was an English artist best known for his portraits. His works featured in several major European collections, including London's National Portrait Gallery.
The identity of the sitter has now been revealed in official archives of The Royal Academy. While the sitter's surname is widely recognised as ‘Castellan,’ the 1916 exhibition catalogue listed a slightly different version: ‘Castellani.’ Miss Rachel Castellani was a model for the renowned British artist Augustus Edwin John OM RA—one of the leading figures of early 20th century art. John painted a striking portrait of Miss Castellani, titled Rachel, just two years after the completion of Shannon’s work. Augustus John's portrait of Rachel resides in the Tate Gallery. This painting was also used for Virginia Wolf's 'Orlando' novel cover image. This painting is also referenced in Kenneth McConkey’s Edwardian Portraits: Images of an Age of Opulence (1987), a copy of which will be included with this sale.
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