Opulent portrait of Elfrida Elizabeth Bird (1848-1928), wife of Luke Ionides (1837-1924), epitomising Aesthetic taste. The sitter wears a salmon pink silk dress with a silver gilt buckle at the waist decorated with fretwork including the figures of Faith, Hope and Charity (the original buckle is currently on loan to the museum). She holds a 'Tesbih' string of amber beads which, along with the mother-of-pearl inlaid dark wood table in the right foreground, may be a reference to the Ionides' Middle Eastern origin. Elfrida sits on an Empire-style sofa (the height of Aesthetic fashion) behind which is a screen of patterned Japanese kimono silk (of which the museum has several comparable examples).
More information
Title of artwork, date
Mrs Luke Ionides, 1879
Date supported
2003
Medium and material
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
102.2 x 115.2 cm
Grant
40000
Total cost
127050
Get a National Art Pass and explore V&A South Kensington
You'll see more art and your membership will help museums across the UK
National Art Pass offers available at V&A South Kensington
Art Funded by you FAQs
Contact us
If you have a question about a work of art in our archive, please contact the Programmes team. We’ll be happy to answer your enquiry.