"Woman with a Tambourine (Irene with a Tambourine)" by James Smetham, 1821-1889

Woman with a Tambourine (Irene with a Tambourine)

James Smetham, 1821-1889

Oil on canvas

c.1864-68

H 14 x W 14.1 cm.

Accession no. SM14.

For commentary, see below. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]

Painting reproduced here by kind permission of Oxford Brookes University/Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History.

Commentary and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee.

The "Woman with a Tambourine" might remind us of Miriam in Exodus (15, 20), in the Old Testament, the prophetess who takes up a timbrel, and leads the other women in singing and dancing after the successful crossing of the Red Sea. Smetham often chose Biblical themes, and the costume looks appropriate enough for that, too. But this seems to be a secular tambourine-player, accompanied by a male piper in western dress, a jaunty feather in his hat and an eye on the rather voluptuous woman beside him. The inclusion of the name "Irene" in the title further indicates that there was no religious element here. So here is Smetham's rare excursion into the attractions of the flesh. This may be explained by the fact that the painting was "executed in Rossetti's studio" (Casteras 86). It is indeed likely that the work shows the Pre-Raphaelites' influence on Smetham at this time (see Barratt).

Bibliography

Barratt, Lizzie. "The Rose of Dawn: An introduction to James Smetham." The Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History (OCMCH). Web. 23 June 2021.

Casteras, Susan. James Smetham: Artist, Author, Pre-Raphaelite Associate. Aldershot, England: Scolar Press, 1994.

Created 23 June 2021