John La Farge (1835–1910)
Portrait of Margaret Mason Perry La Farge, 1860

Oil on canvas
McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College, Gift of William M. & Alison S. Vareika ’74, P’09, ’15, LP’16, 2004.4

Jeffery Howe
Professor Emeritus, Art History

John La Farge married Margaret Mason Perry (1839–1925) in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1860, when he painted this, his only portrait of her. They had three sons, the youngest of whom became a Jesuit priest. Her strong and beautiful profile and serious demeanor suggests a thoughtful and contemplative nature. Artists have often portrayed their wives in such a tender manner, from Jan van Eyck (1390–1441) to Rembrandt (1601–69) and Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640). His devotion to Margaret was evident when he modeled the head of the Madonna on her in his early large panel painting of The Virgin at the Foot of the Cross (1862–63), which hangs nearby.