Artwork
Alma Murray (1854–1945)
Alma Murray (1854–1945) is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Christine M. Demain Hammond. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Christiana Mary Demain Hammond, an English painter linked to the Cranford School of illustration, completed an oil portrait of Alma Murray in 1896. The work is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection and presents the sitter in a composed, restrained pose.
Subject & Meaning
Alma Murray (1854–1945) is shown with short, dark, curled hair, wearing a green dress with a high neckline, puffed sleeves, a ruffled collar and a modest bow on the right sleeve. Her gaze meets the viewer directly, her expression neutral, conveying a calm, dignified presence.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the portrait employs a limited palette dominated by deep greens for both dress and background. The brushwork renders the fabric’s texture and the sitter’s hair with careful detail, while the solid dark green backdrop isolates the figure, emphasizing her form and attire.
History & Provenance
Hammond, who contributed regularly to periodicals such as Cassell’s Magazine and The Quiver, exhibited intermittently at the Royal Academy and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours. The painting entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings, where it remains on display.
Context
The work reflects late‑Victorian portrait conventions, where modest elegance and restrained emotion were prized. Hammond’s affiliation with the Cranford School, known for its illustration work, informs the portrait’s clear lines and narrative clarity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Christiana Mary Demain Hammond (6 August 1860 – 11 May 1900), known as Chris Hammond, was an English painter and illustrator.
