I was pleased to locate quickly the row of Hertford Headmistresses in the Dining Hall.
But I was really disappointed. I'd always liked the portrait of the small silvery Miss Craig, but DR's portrait looked rather peculiar. Rather than wear a gown she'd chosen a horrible blue-splodgy dress in which to be painted (not the artist's fault though). The painting expressed nothing of that formidable Presence.
And Miss Morrison! It wasn't even a good likeness - as if it had been painted from a bad photo. I would think that BJM was a brilliant subject to paint - a chance for an artist to find and express the dry humour that lay beneath her implacable disciplined regard.
However, I was able to admire properly for the first time the small Susannah portrait. Hung at eye level in the Museum, it looks as fresh and vibrant as if only just painted. At Hertford it hung over one of the School Hall doors, where you had to look upwards to see it - quite the wrong angle. A lovely painting. And where is the large Susannah portrait?
Perhaps I don't know enough about portraiture to appreciate the representations of DR and BJM?
Had they been well received when each was painted? I'd be interested to know.
Plus - an old relocated friend - the bronze head of Sir Harry Vanderpant, once commandingly at the foot of the spiral stairs to Dining Hall, and at whose venerable head we used to aim the malodorous dishcloth on the way down. Sir Harry's wooden pedestal is now splitting apart, and his head has gone dull and rough. Maybe the dishcloth had kept him polished. Now he lives on another staircase - the one up to the Museum. He needs some care, poor old thing!
Munch
Kerren - what did you think of the DR portrait?
