The exhibition at Kenwood commemorates the centenary of John Singer Sargent's death, featuring 18 of his portraits of American heiresses who married into British aristocracy from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. While often derided as 'dollar princesses,' these women were much more than their stereotypes, often involved in charitable work and public service. The exhibition aims to present a nuanced understanding of their lives, moving beyond the superficial perceptions of wealth and class, and exploring the realities of their experiences with love, marriage, and societal expectations.
"In a way, it's a dual exhibition, as it's of paintings by Sargent, but all the portraits depict women who were part of the transatlantic marriage phenomenon of the late 19th and early 20th centuries..."
"However, that's what makes the exhibition compelling, as each of the ladies included here has a decent biography explaining the real person behind the stereotype..."
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