Sabina, by Lisa Stillman (1865-1946). c.1888. Pastels on paper. 10 x 7 7/8 inches (25.3 x 19.9 cm) - sight. Image courtesy of the Scott Thomas Buckle collection.
Sabina is a name of historic resonance, that of Nero's wife, for example, or of St Sabina, a martyr of the early church, a widow living in Rome who was put to death soon after the slave, Serapia, who had converted her. The historic basilica that houses her relics is situated on the Aventine Hill in Rome. It is also a given name, and this would seem to be a portrait of a young woman of Lisa Stillman's own acquaintance. It was shown at the New Gallery in 1888, No. 269 (Catalogue, p.62), along with another portrait, of Hester, daughter of Richmond Richie, Esq., No. 303 (Catalogue, p.64). Marie Spartali Stillman, Lisa's step-mother, showed three works on the same occasion. — Jacqueline Banerjee
Caption information provided by Dennis T. Lanigan. Reproduced here by kind permission, for purposes of a review of Victorian Treasures from the Cecil French Bequest and Scott Thomas Buckle Collection (24 May-21 September 2025). — JB
Bibliography
Löffler, Klemens. "St. Sabina." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. Web. 4 June 2025. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13290a.htm
The New Gallery: An Illustrated Catalogue of the Summer Exhibition." Google Books. Free ebook.
Created 4 June 2025