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Gwen Ffrangcon Davies (1891-1992)
Artist: KNIGHT, Harold (1874-1961)
Ffrangcon-Davies was a legend of the British stage, during a career that spanned 80 years. She was born in London into a Welsh family and made her stage debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1911. In 1924 she was hailed as the finest Juliet of her generation, playing opposite John Gielgud’s Romeo. Ffrangcon-Davies played many Shakespearean leads and appeared in numerous radio and television productions. She was made a Dame of the British Empire at the age of 100. This painting by Harold Knight shows her in role as Etain in Rutland Boughton's opera 'The Immortal Hour'.
Image: © Reproduced with permission of the estate of Dame Laura Knight, DBE, RA. All rights reserved./Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales
Collection Area
Art
Item Number
NMW A 592
Creation/Production
KNIGHT, Harold
Role: Creation
Date:
Acquisition
Gift
Measurements
h(cm) frame:165
w(cm) frame:135.3
Height: 151cm
Width: 121cm
Techniques
oil on canvas
Techniques (fine art)
art dept - fine
Fine Art - painting
Material
oil
canvas
Location
Gallery 05
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Comments - (4)
Hi Chris,
Thank you very much for this information. We've added it to the file we keep on this painting.
Best wishes,
Marc
Digital Team
ETAIN, OF THE 'IMMORTAL HOUR'
MISS GWEN FFRANGCON DAVIES AS PAINTED BY HAROLD KNIGHT.
From the Painting by Harold Knight exhibited at the Grosvenor Galleries, New Bond Street.
Originally put on for a short run, Rutland Boughton's 'The Immortal Hour' has met with so much appreciation that it has now been given at the Regent for nearly five months, a run that is a record for British romantic opera.
Miss Ffrangcon Davies plays the part of Etain, who, in spite of the love she has for her mortal husband, returns to her own people as soon as she hears them singing - a fact not to be wondered at, as the refrain sung by the fairy voices is both alluring and haunting.
Miss Davies is eminently suited to the part, both with regard to voice and looks. Our portrait is from the very interesting exhibition of paintings by Mr. Harold Knight.
Wow - thank you Julie for sharing your story. We're so happy our collections inspired you in this way!
Love to you and to Gwen,
From,
The team at National Museum Cardiff