3-080-273 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Portrait of a Young Woman, 1888.The delicate study of a woman's head was painted at the Glasgow International Exhibition, which took place in Kelvin Park in 1888. John Lavery made sketches of the visitors in the grounds and pavilions of the exhibition and this led to him being commissioned to execute a large painting of Queen Victoria's visit. The sitter is almost certainly one of the waitresses at the Lyon's tea-room in the exhibition grounds. The waitresses were all dressed as Mary, Queen of Scots and became affectionately known as "Lyon's widows" because of their black uniforms.