Dimensions: support: 1016 x 762 mm frame: 1213 x 961 x 113 mm
Copyright: © reserved | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: So here we have Sir Gerald Kelly's "The Jester (W. Somerset Maugham)." It’s undated, but Maugham lived 1874-1965. The backdrop is so strange, almost dreamlike. What do you make of this portrait? Curator: It's a fascinating dance between the sitter's controlled presentation and the artist's subtle commentary. Kelly adored portraying people, and the theatrical backdrop hints at Maugham's own performance of self. Do you get a sense of any conflict in this image? Editor: I do. He seems almost trapped by his formal wear, as if it’s another mask. I appreciate your point about the theatricality. I hadn't considered that! Curator: Right? Art reflects life... or, sometimes, the other way around.
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tate about 2 months ago
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kelly-the-jester-w-somerset-maugham-n04703
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tate about 2 months ago
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Somerset Maugham was enjoying his first success as a dramatist when his friend Kelly painted this costume portrait. It was not a commission, but was painted for exhibition and sale, with the reputation of Maugham as a bonus. Kelly had just taken smart rooms off Lowndes Square in Belgravia, and chose to emphasise the correct social poise of his sitter, wearing morning dress and grey top hat. The two men were the same age, were both Irish, and had been friends in Paris. Kelly painted Maugham many times through his life, often showing him in character: the title here refers to his famous wit. The portrait served as an advertisement for Kelly's practice, and contrasted with the bohemianism of his rivals William Orpen and Augustus John. Gallery label, August 2004
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