Artwork

Portrait of Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt (1844-1904)

Portrait of Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt (1844-1904) is an oil painting by Sarah Purser. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.

About this work

Overview

Sarah Purser’s oil portrait of Mervyn Wingfield, the seventh Viscount Powerscourt, was executed circa 1898. The work, now part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection, presents the Irish peer in a formal seated pose, rendered in the conventions of late‑nineteenth‑century portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter, Viscount Powerscourt (1844‑1904), is depicted with a long white beard and mustache, dressed in a black jacket, white shirt and light‑blue tie, and holding a cigar. His direct gaze and solemn expression convey a sense of authority and the social standing associated with the Irish aristocracy of his era.

Technique & Style

Purser employs a realistic approach, using a restrained palette of dark browns for the background and richer tones for the figure’s clothing. The brushwork is precise, especially in rendering the texture of the beard and the sheen of the fabric, reflecting her training in academic portraiture.

History & Provenance

Created near the end of the nineteenth century, the painting entered the National Gallery of Ireland’s holdings, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s commitment to preserving works by prominent Irish artists and documenting the country’s landed gentry.

Context

Purser, a pioneering Irish woman artist, was the first female full member of the Royal Hibernian Academy and later founded the stained‑glass studio An Túr Gloine. This portrait exemplifies her skill in conventional portraiture before she turned to decorative arts, situating the work within the broader trajectory of Irish art at the turn of the century.