Thanks for the 1940 exhibition catalogue reference, Tim, that is most helpful. I suppose if Atkin was an even worse artist than I take him to be it might just be possible.but I'm not convinced enough to pursue the hypothesis further, sorry. DdM was in her teens for much of the 1920s (21 in 1928) - this is a far older woman, look at her neck the hair colour is completely wrong her prominent cheekbones (or sunken cheeks) & mouth size and shape are quite different to Daphne's and DdM had no hint of the large chin cleft we see here. Other than the hair shape there is no resemblance to Daphne du Maurier at all. Gabriel A(i)tken moved in very 'alternative' circles, not just literary ones, and I am sure such a get-up would not have been unusual there. The hairstyle was also sported by several million other people - it was the fashion.
Someone might be able to find a link between Daphne du Maurier and the artist, Gabriel Atkin, who was known to have been moving in literary circles at the time that the portrait was painted.Ī woman wearing a man's uniform jacket seems a tenuous reason to think that she is anything to do with 'Trilby', even when her hairstyle is similar to one once worn by the grand-daughter of the man who originated the character. Daphne du Maurier, however, was in her 20s and sporting a similar haircut and a closer resemblance to the woman in the portrait (see image attached to my previous posting). The portrait must date from the 1920s, by which time Cutler was in her 60s. 'Trilby' was played by Dorothea Baird (1875–1933) in the original production in 1895, and by Kate Cutler (1864–1955), also in 1895'”.īoth actresses wore a man's uniform jacket as part of their costume.’Īlthough the sitter's hairstyle is similar to Kate Cutler's, her facial features are not. 'Trilby' was the title role in the long-running play 'A Model Trilby', 1895, adapted from the novel by George du Maurier, 1894.
“Portrait of a woman by Gabriel Atkin, possibly showing the character 'Trilby'. I have altered the title to “Portrait of a woman, possibly showing the character ‘Trilby’”.
The collection comments: ‘It certainly looks quite like Kate Cutler in that role. I have attached one image of Trilby from George du Maurier's novel two images of actresses in the role of Trilby an image of Daphne du Maurier with a "Trilby" haircut and a later image of Daphne du Maurier wearing a military jacket. Is this a portrait of an actress in the role of "Trilby", or could it possibly be a portrait of Daphne du Maurier dressed in that role?
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