Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits

16 May-5 Oct 2025

John Singer Sargent, 'Mrs. Wilton Phipps', 1884

Overview

Experience the power and glamour of John Singer Sargent’s portraits in Kenwood's new exhibition; Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits.

Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits will reveal the real stories behind the fascinating American women who crossed the Atlantic to marry British aristocrats in an exchange of money for titles. These women include a war-time nurse and the first sitting female MP.

Sargent was one of the most sought-after artists of the Gilded Age and was ‘the artist’ to depict these intriguing women. On the centenary of his death, the exhibition will be a salute to John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), the most admired and sought-after portraitist of the Gilded Age on both sides of the Atlantic. These portraits represent some of his most glamorous and powerful works. In addition to full-length oil paintings, masterful charcoal portraits will also feature, depicting their subjects in a candid and perceptive light.

Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits is curated by English Heritage with the charity drawing upon the expertise of Richard Ormond CBE. The renowned Sargent scholar and the artist’s great-nephew is the exhibition’s consultant.

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