Collections

Diana in Snow Leopard

Artist: Balmer, Barbara C., RSA · 1929-2017

Diana in Snow Leopard

The following notes were taken by Sandy Wood, RSA Collections Curator in conversation with the subject and donor of the portrait, Diana McIntosh (nee…

The following notes were taken by Sandy Wood, RSA Collections Curator in conversation with the subject and donor of the portrait, Diana McIntosh (nee Huntly);

The sitter's husband Harry McIntosh had a hot metal typesetting business and knew George Mackie, the husband of the artist Barbara Balmer. George thought Diana had a face that Barbara just had to paint. On meeting Diana, Barbara thought she had a wonderfully expressive, inspiring and inquisitive face and so really wanted to paint her. - The portrait was painted in Barbara’s studio on Queensferry Street in 3 or 4 sittings
She worked it up in pencil and crayon as Diana had a sneak peek during the process, which Barbara said sitters were not usually allowed to do. The painting dates from 1983-85 we think. Diana believes it was on display at the RSA around this time for around £2,000, but there is no record of it in Annual Exhibition catalogues. There was a Festival Show in the period (as per Annual Report) and there is a chance it may have been exhibited here, but this has still to be checked. Barbara gifted it to Diana after this exhibition out of the blue. A crate just arrived at her house with no forewarning!

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