the finer things

yesterday, on my lunch break, i walked out of my office, up the stairs, through the lobby, and entered the dark corriders of the museum (it was dark because the museum is closed on mondays). i knew that i had to go see her. some folks around here call her crazy eyes but i think she is lovely, always sitting there. poised in her beautiful white dress. her name is elsie palmer. painted by my favorite portrait artist, JSS!









Miss Elsie Palmer
John Singer Sargent -- American painter
1889-90
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Oil on canvas
190.8 x 114.6 cm (75 1/8 x 45 1/8 in.)
Jpg: local source




Miss Elsie Palmer later Mrs. L. H. Myers (1873-1955). She was the daughter of a wealthy expatriate American from Colorado. Mrs. Palmer had rented the Ightham Mote house near Kent of which Sargent became a frequent guest. It was here that he also painted A Game of Bowls.

At this time, Sargent was far more popular with Americans and although Elsie herself was American it would be paintings such as this that did much to break the ice with the British and eventually bring them around to Sargent style.