"The Mandolin," James Smetham, 1866.

Smetham (1821-1889) was a painter of the Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic schools, and very much a follower of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whose influence can be seen here. This is widely regarded as his masterwork, but even so, many feel that Rossetti may have done part of it. It does include props that Rossetti used, including the mandolin and the swansdown scarf, but exactly how much of a hand he had in this is unknown.

Smetham started out as a portrait painter, but like many of the era, his portrait career was derailed by the advent of photography. He later moved on to landscapes, religious, mythical, literary, and historical paintings, some of which were regarded as strange or visionary in their time. He also did literally thousands of miniatures, the size of postage stamps, in his journals.

He was also a teacher, essayist, art critic, and poet; his letters are noted for being a font of information about his fellow Pre-Raphaelites, John Ruskin, and others. Sadly, he had serious mental health issues that can be seen in his writings and sometimes his art. After a serious breakdown, his last years were spent in seclusion, away from the world.

From a private collection.

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