Completed Dress and Textiles, London: Artists and Subjects, Portraits: British 19th C 5 Is this portrait of Annesley Kenealy by an amateur painter, or might it be attributable?

Annesley Kenealy
Topic: Artist

Annesley Kenealy (1861–1927) was a writer and journalist from a colourful family (her father was the unsuccessful counsel for the Tichborne Claimant). Her will has recently become available on the internet, and shows that she left £1,500 to the Royal Free Hospital, and some bonds to one of the hospital's consultant urologists in thanks for her treatment. This picture is not specifically mentioned in that will.

Whether this portrait is by an amateur painter (possibly a family member), or by someone identifiable, is not known. And is it showing her as a child (and so made in the 1860s or 1870s), or is it later?

Completed, Outcome

Jade Audrey King,

This painting is now listed as being painted c.1870–late 1880s.

This amend will appear on the Art UK website in due course. If anyone has any new information about this painting, please propose a new discussion by following the Art Detective link on the artwork page on Art UK.

4 comments

Paul Kettlewell,

Attached is the 1901 census for Annesley Kenealy, her sister Katherine was an artist, could she be the painter? Katherine was a few years younger than Annesley, but perhaps it was done later in life.
For information - Annesley's full name was Mary Annesley Flood Kenealy and she died on 22 Oct 1926

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Barbara Bryant,

While it is important that the sitter is firmly identified, I don't think more will come forward on the question originally asked, so I propose to close the discussion. The work would seem to be by an amateur hand and it is almost impossible to make an attribution. Even venturing a date would be a matter of conjuncture, though broadly, going by the age of the sitter, it is anywhere from c.1870 to the later 1880s

Jade Audrey King,

The collection have been contacted about the execution date and request to close this discussion.