Artwork
Dame Margaret Lloyd George (1866–1941)
Dame Margaret Lloyd George (1866–1941) is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Christopher Williams. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.
About this work
Overview
Christopher Williams completed this oil portrait of Dame Margaret Lloyd George in 1921. The painting shows the former wife of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George seated in an elegant chair, rendered with a gentle, impressionistic touch. It is part of the National Library of Wales’s collection and exemplifies early‑twentieth‑century portraiture in Wales.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, Margaret Lloyd George (1866–1941), is presented in a light‑coloured gown with lace trim, her hair neatly pulled back and a pearl necklace at her throat. A small bouquet rests on her lap, suggesting domestic refinement, while the composed pose conveys dignity and poise typical of public figures of her era.
Technique & Style
Williams employs loose, fluid brushwork that softens the forms and creates a warm atmosphere. Light falls on the face and hands, highlighting them against a dark, curtain‑filled background, a subtle use of chiaroscuro that adds depth without disrupting the overall impressionistic feel.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the portrait has remained in Wales, eventually entering the holdings of the National Library of Wales. The work has been displayed in various exhibitions of Welsh art, serving as a visual record of a prominent political family.
Context
The portrait was painted shortly after World War I, a period when Welsh artists often combined traditional portrait conventions with the looser brushwork of American Impressionism. Williams’s choice of a subdued palette and intimate setting reflects contemporary tastes for both realism and atmospheric effect.
Artist & collection
Artist
Christopher Williams (born 1956 in Los Angeles) is an American conceptual artist and fine-art photographer who lives in Cologne and works in Düsseldorf.
Bildnis Leonie Scheller-Kuhn
Portret de femeie
Constance Wynne-Roberts, Mrs Ernest Hills of Redleaf (died 1932)
Portrait of Mrs Geale-Wybrants
Portrait of the actrice G.H. Fedotovoj
Queen Emma, Princess of Waldeck-Pyrmont, Widow of King William III
Agnes Margaret Anderson
Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of Zofia Dolińska née Niesiołowska
Portrait of Mrs. W.R.
The Artist's Mother (Elizabeth Balfour Nicolson, Mrs Jackson Walton)
Dame Margaret Lloyd George (1866–1941)