Sir William Orpen (1878 - 1931).
His masterful portraits are extraordinarily vivid, the combined product of superb draftsmanship, rich color, and an unerring control of tonal values. He was first and foremost a painter — the strong, decisive brushstrokes are placed with athletic vigor and uncanny accuracy.
There never seems to be an ounce of hesitancy or indecision — every stroke registers like a clear, precise note of music.
Orpen was fond of painting women sitters against a black background, lighting the figure from two sides, an arrangement which gave luminosity and a certain ethereal appearance to his unfaltering but matter of fact statement.