books0977:

The Green Masque (1922). Sir Oswald Birley (British, 1880-1952). Oil on canvas.

A frequent subject of Birley’s paintings was his wife, Rhoda. Widely regarded as a beauty, she married Birley at the age of 20 when he was 41. This particularly beautiful portrait was made by Birley soon after their marriage in 1921. It depicts Rhoda in Venetian carnival attire, her alabaster face glowing against a dark background, her eyelashes demurely lowered.