E H McCormick, Works of Frances Hodgkins in New Zealand, Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland, 1954, p. 171
E H McCormick, Portrait of Frances Hodgkins, Auckland University Press, Auckland, 1981, p. 46 (ill.)


After arriving in Tangier in November 1902, Frances Hodgkins focussed on painting market or street scenes of local Arabs (usually men or children) although she had to be circumspect in depicting local women whose lives were often more private than public. However, after she moved on to Tetuan in 1903, she wrote home on 30 March, revelling in the rich subject matter she had discovered among the local Sephardic Jewish community, one of whom welcomed her into her home;

I am painting a beautiful Jewess in full dress – wonderful coif of pearls & emeralds & massive ear-rings reaching to her shoulders. Dress of cloth of gold & black velvet with all sorts of barbaric jewels & ornaments & ropes of pearls & un-set emeralds hung about her neck. It makes a splendid study & I am delighted to get such a chance. The Jewesses here are beautiful – descendants of the Jews that were driven out of Spain by Ferdinand & Isabella…

These two watercolours can be seen as a pair; Hodgkins giving the full figure a title in English, while giving the more intimate portrait the same title in French. The more formal full portrait, where the woman is set off by the richly carved and gilded Baroque mirror in the background, was almost certainly painted first, and once the sitter trusted Hodgkins, who was no doubt seen as equally exotic in the Jewess’s eyes, she also agreed to being painted close up.

The young woman has dressed in her marriage costume for the occasion, in what is known as The Grand Costume or El-keswa el-kbira, regalia often handed down to younger generations of brides to wear in turn. Hodgkins must have asked if she might paint her portrait in advance, so that the woman had time to dress in her wedding finery. Hodgkins captures the rich detailing of the costume, with its black wrap around black silk velvet skirt (red or maroon velvet were also popular), embroidered in the front with gold metallic threads, worn with a separate bodice and heavily embroidered waistcoat.

In a tradition also found in Italy in the fifteenth century, the voluminous striped silk sleeves, delicately embroidered in gold threat, are detachable, and the outfit is set off by a traditional jewelled cap which gives the portrait a jaunty air. What Hodgkins depicts in paint and describes in words is remarkably accurate.

The second, more intimate portrait has allowed Hodgkins to pay greater attention to the young woman’s gently smiling expression, using delicate lines to build up facial light and shadow in tones of blue. Dashes of viridian differentiate the emeralds among the cluster of jewels in the young woman’s earrings, while bold ochre brushstrokes only hint at the lavishness of the golden embroidery of her blouse and waistcoat. Unfazed by the artist’s close scrutiny, the sitter gazes back at Hodgkins, proud of both her appearance and the traditions which it upholds.

MARY KISLER

Frances Hodgkins: People, New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Wellington, 16 Nov 2017 - 14 Feb 2018

Mr & Mrs W H Field Wellington, New Zealand
Continuously in the possession of the Field family


CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ NUMBER
FH0418
FH0419