A 20th Century Rediscovery: The Nurse by Sir Oswald Birley

Hidden from view in the ownership of her descendants, Philip Mould will talk about the arrival from America of an exquisite, hitherto unknown portrait of an arresting 1920's nurse by society painter Sir Oswald Birley. Painted in return for medical services, this masterpiece by Birley combines his brilliance as a portraitist with the sublime lessons of three hundred years of great old master painting.
#oswaldbirley #birley #portrait #portraitpainter #Nurse #modernbritish #british #20thcenturywomen #20thcenturyart #20thcentury

[@Culbokie_croft]

Its a contemporary subject, tired nurse mixed with glamour.

[@let_uslunch8884]

Isn't though. Very timely.

[@VallaMusic]

i see the artist showing us all the horrors of war in a portrait - incredible - it's all there in the eyes - a young woman who has seen way too much suffering and pain in too many wounded soldiers

[@queenbee4427]

Thank you so much...we enjoy your sharing knowledge with us in the USA...miss seeing your show!

[@mpbarrettlaw]

This has become one of my favorite paintings. She looks bruised somewhat as though a war has taken a toll on her. Love it.

[@abigailbrown4481]

She's gorgeous and petulant. Philip really knows how to bring art to life what a pro - a great distraction

[@ratherbfishing455]

What did he do ?

[@deveshpath691]

@@ratherbfishing455 He explained it so well.

[@catherinecrow5662]

apropos, with the great demands of and our reliance on our health care workers and first responders during this pandemic. kudos to you for giving us this classic , beautiful portrait.

[@laurensouthgate2458]

What a beautiful painting.

[@cynthialeeser7952]

What he said is what I never would have thought. It’s so interesting to hear the back story. Art is so deep and rich. Philip is a wonderful teacher .

[@rsoubiea]

What a gorgeous portrait. She’s stunning.

[@ernarc23]

These portraits are absolutely beautiful. I love the carved wooden frame; it gives the subject an added elegance it so well deserves. Sir Oswald Birley also managed to capture completely, yet delicately, the profound emotional quality of her face: the fatigue (or sadness) in her eyes, the moistness on her nose and lips, the slightly dilated pupils and lowered lids, and the wistfulness of her hair and turn of her head toward the viewer. He captured all that without much detail or denying her utter beauty, grace and elegance. This piece is something other portrait artists should study.

[@joannietrotter2344]

Her hauntingly sad and weary, yet beautiful, face perfectly sums up the horrors that those brave nurses had to deal with, patching up the damaged men. It’s a wonderful painting.

[@Finomej]

This painting takes you by the hand and beckons you in..... Just beautiful!

[@1sostatic]

I love paintings like this -- when one sees something unique and different every time you view it, they never get old.

[@larrybaby9377]

Oh she's so lovely. Her healing beauty is incidental and effortless. As so well described, she is engaged, unceremoniously getting on with her duties, doing what must be done. It truly is a gorgeous painting, and this discussion of it was vastly illuminating. Thank you so much.

[@johnclark546]

As an art pleb, I so appreciate your enthusiasm and appreciation for painting. Your expertise helps me go from a superficial satisfaction to a better understanding of why the portrait is satisfying. Also, the framing is so spot-on in that it reflects the mood of the portrait and adds another texture for my viewing experience. (plus, nice haircut although I kind of miss the COVID scuff)

[@lornetannas4052]

Love the story behind this magnificent painting.

[@rebeccabeaton9237]

Absolutely love this painting!

[@Curare8]

This painting has a beautiful use of highlight. The glints of light in the eyes and on the lips catches your eyes and makes you look closer . The look of strength of character in the woman. Thank you for sharing this, now I have a new artist to research.

[@jayneneewing2369]

This lovely portrait reminds me of The Girl With the Pearl Earring. Thank you for telling us about this so talented painter.

[@kerry5586]

Very interesting and a lovely piece of artwork, but so sad that she is no longer with the family.

[@donnaduhamel6004]

That is so beautiful, its so intense, yet, offers a touch of her caring self... what a master this young man became... wonderous.... Thank you Philip, for sharing this painting.

[@magdalena-lisarobertson4143]

I was sad when the Art in Isolation series ended and was hopeful that you would speak about art in your offices. I am so pleased that you have chosen to do so and that it is not a brief description of a piece of art -- I have never heard of Oswald Birley, but thanks to you I have now. Excellent painter. And thanks to you I am learning more about the old masters and am starting to see the influence of artists on subsequent artists AND the why of it, and the HOW of it. Thank you so much.

[@SantaBarbaraBiking]

I never heard of that series. Thanks for sharing! I have hours of Philip to watch in isolation.

[@martinhasson4942]

Philip is a wonderful speaker and delivers eloquently Burley is a wonderful painter with equally eloquent delivery. I enjoy the sounds and sights. They are filled with hyperbole ( Maybe a little too much for the Ordinary man/woman new to Art. 💅💘🏵️🤔💰🌹 Me? I can't get enough! 👈

[@johnlorraine4978]

What an eye opener. This is the first time I've seen a Burley and am already hooked.

[@MrNikodemus5]

What a marvelous no nonsense expression she has !!

[@shadowartist8892]

Its beautiful. She also looks like shes been working hard with the dark circles under her eyes. Sacrificing her posh life to help suffering soldiers. That what struck me. It's not a vanity portrait.

[@gmeliberty]

This is an amazing painting! Thank you for introducing this to me.

[@thomasodonnell9221]

So glad to see you again. Once again, you are opening my eyes to yet another painter I did not know of. Thank you so much.

[@lorettabertoli3736]

What a wonderful portrait! That's exactly how they dressed Sybyl Crawley in downton Abbey when she was a military nurse, but thinking this girl is a REAL military nurse is something else. Who knows what this beautiful girl has seen...

[@sylviamatthee8172]

What a striking painting. Thank you so much!

[@derekcustance3618]

Stunning.

[@marygynn3576]

Wonderful portrait of a nurse determined to carry on serene and beautiful at the same time

[@AVOCADO.plus.ORANGE.Vintage]

"Marinated in old masters" ... beautiful!

[@carolinebesinger8611]

We miss your series please continue.

[@anaffairwithbeautythemysti3902]

Another wonderful video, and this particular work reminds me so much of the Golden Age of American Illustrators, especially Howard Chandler Christy, a once-blind illustrator who became a famous portrait painter. His works fill the U.S. Capitol, White House, Supreme Court, Ohio Statehouse and various other museums and institutions in the U.S. and Britain.

[@MicaRayan]

It's classic.... because of controlled pallete. I have one drew for me by British artist, I was shirtless, it ends up just a little before belly button... so you can only see flesh tones and of course the hair and dimmed background... I love it, eventhough I don't have typical model feature (year 2013).... those types of portraits are the best.

[@meierstudio]

I love the frame as well.

[@NickPenlee]

A great painting which certainly has a contemporary quality to it. If you reduced the nurses headdress, limiting it to the hat part only, she'd resemble a character from "Thoroughly Modern Millie".

[@MildredWilsonArtist]

Wonderful story! I love your exquisite videos. :-)

[@MM-Iconoclast]

Something in that painting reminds me of Velazquez's famous Portrait of Juan De Pareja (born into slaverly, a noted painter, later freed by Velasquez). What Phillip called 'a subject painting' - more than a portrait, a portrayal. Note: I wrote this comment halfway through the video and when I watched the rest of it, was gratified to hear Phillip saying the same thing - the evocation of Velazquez.

[@sharonlewies9920]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@IAmThankfulToday]

I immediately thought of Van Dyck when this popped up in my feed a few days ago as well. The face looks almost like one of the brothers in the Lord John & Bernard Stuart painting.

[@simonwilliams4367]

I think the piece of white fabric sitting under the chin allowed the artist to increase the tonal contrast at the head and shoulder which gives the painting more power.

[@Whoiskevinjones]

Was the painting cleaned and returned or sold to a new owner? Who is the current owner of the painting?

[@arthurblundell6128]

lovely painting -- very sultry pose

[@jeanhawken4482]

She is beautiful

[@angeleusebio9451]

SIR PHILLIP MORE INTERESTING EPISODES PLS.

[@yldraycelik7549]

Peki hocam polonya krokow lü ressam daniel mróz hakkında bilgi verirmisiniz bende 59 yılı imzalı tablosu varda

[@timtaylor1365]

Interesting subject....the nurse's face looks so sad, we have to wonder what she's thinking...

[@lkgreenwell]

She smoulders - did Lauren Bacall take lessons?

[@stephenconlon653]

I wonder if she was a trained nurse and she met Vera Britten

[@peregrinemccauley7819]

To survive the First World War as a pilot , reconnaissance or otherwise , is a feat unto itself , where at one stage of the conflict , the average lifespan of these aviators was three weeks .

[@Weesperbuurt]

Mould is being a bit coy. The painting he mentions and shows of Lady Rhoda Birley hung in the Birleys' son, Mark's club Annabel's at 44 Berkeley Square. It was situated in the basement of John Aspinall's gambling Clermont Club. Birley sold the club in 2007 and it closed in 2018. I saw Lady Birley in 1976 at an art show at her home, Charleston Manor in East Sussex.

[@haranoe]

Well, the " sublime lessons of three hundred years of great old master painting" have been sublimated so hard, that hardly anything has been left from them, starting with the pigments.

[@marty-gd7ol]

I Think Philip and i goes to very different London clubs

[@JoseighBlogs]

She could be viewed as decidedly disdainful in her painted appearance. Did you say her father suggested "Don't paint me paint my daughter instead"? Which could mean some interim cajoling from father to daughter, and daughter not particularly bothered, until persuaded rather reluctantly to 'sit' for the portrait - with its eventual painted expression to the artist of a 'hurry up and get on with it' look. Thanx

[@donnarogers7732]

She Favors Vanessa Redgrave .

[@MrBluoct]

Margaret Elizabeth Barrett

[@Annie1962]

The portrait of Queen Elizabeth, didn't really look like her. The eyes were very different

[@holly52ful]

I hope to find a great painting and then call you for your advice!! Lol

[@mylesgarcia4625]

Oh, Philip. You're over-feeling this canvas. It's good but I don't think it's one for the ages.

[@GoodArtorias]

Better Call Saul

[@robertstevenson364]

I question these restorations, Made to appeal to us now, Would like to see the original before she was retouched by these Botox artist doctors

[@Aby7799]

Modern face: Lana Rhoades

[@Baker-m9y]

She looks tired.

[@thelittlebluecar2938]

Such a wonderful portrait. Birley has captured this young lady as if during a busy day of work. The cleaning is just right; beautiful.

[@BlackKettleRanch]

Stunning.

[@TuckerSP2011]

She is beautiful! A young lady with full lips and tired eyes, too busy for small talk. She has so much to do. The choice of cutting the right side of her scarf in line with her neck is genius. I am glad that I have now heard of this artist.

[@TruFou6]

Art education at its best! Thank you Philip, we can feel your passion. The fascinating background stories always hook me right away! I believe I speak for all your art aficionado subscribers when I say 'subscribing to your channel reaps only returns'. You make it possible for many of us to get to know, enjoy and appreciate the art unknown to us and those pieces which speak to us but that are not obtainable or affordable.

[@pjlewisful]

This old fan of Fake or Fortune in America misses you, Philip! Thank you for sharing her with us.

[@kimclarke5018]

I only discovered the series fake or fortune three days ago, and I must say I’m totally hooked. I have been speed watching many of them and I’m so drawn in by not only the paintings, but your amazing knowledge of all these artists and history behind each that you examine . Utterly captivating.

[@MysteryFanGirl]

Same! 😊

[@patriciatolliver4057]

Patty- I am a historian by degree. Consequently, I am totally fascinated by every episode. I'm also a serious art lover. I can't get enough.

[@ToniColwell]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@jillymouseful]

She looks worn out but I see strength in her , she has a beautiful face ❤️ magnificent 🙏❣️☘️

[@velvetindigonight]

Agreed.

[@alvindimes4729]

Absolutely, it is exquisite.

[@oltedders]

She looks impatient at having her work interrupted to have to spend time at idle posing when she could have been doing something useful.

[@peterjensen4190]

I was thinking exactly the same thing, she's putting in a lot of hours.

[@juliepekarske8302]

I agree she looks worn out. I am a retired nurse now, but her expression is so familiar to me of how I felt after working.

[@stitchpenniesofficial]

She is stunning and the painting is captivating because for it's simplicity, it is also very dynamic as described. Thank you for showcasing her, and going into the depth and detail that you did.

[@janzeyellie]

To me it looks as though she's been crying, there's that bit of white paint under her left eye and the darker streak of skin beneath. She's earnest and hard working.

[@Widdekuu91]

It gives me a very sad feeling as well, as if she's been talking to someone to stop the war, they say it's too expensive to not have a war. And the she turns around, grabs her stuff, gives them one last look, as if to plea; 'Think about this, I will be caring for thousands of victims if you do' and then she walks off, back to work.

[@brendangallagher8087]

yes sad eyes - had perhaps seen a lot of suffering and pain and it touched her?

[@simibignall5688]

The painting of Rhoda Birley - The Green Masque - is enchanting.

[@oltedders]

That's an understatement. It is absolutely stunning.

[@abesouth3805]

I have watched this short film several times and on each occasion I am instantly reminded of The Girl with the Pearl Earring. Thank-you for this film.

[@rosered103]

I was wondering why this portrait was videoed twice. Now I understand why. :) Philip is an excellent speaker.

[@thekingsdaughter4233]

And if he's featuring her another time, I'll watch that, too. ;-) Mr. Mould can make the phone book sound interesting, I'm sure! ;-) :-)

[@ivorytower99]

Ha, that a great line!

[@piplebref4607]

Passing his gallery every morning used to be the highlight of my walk to work. There was always something spectacular in the window plus a mouth watering glimpse of other treasures inside. This picture is outstanding, though.

[@oltedders]

@@piplebref4607 The 3 examples in this video were proof we were seeing a world class artist at the top of his game.

[@paivitiitta1884]

I could listen to him for hours !

[@a_lucientes]

I am so in love with this painting. We see what might've been a petulant teenager in the not too distant past, but she is exhausted and traumatized. She can hardly keep her eyes open. She retains her stunning natural beauty but will never be the same carefree person again. Her beauty coupled with the pall of trauma and exhaustion makes for a powerful, almost transcendent viewing experience. The contrast between her youthful beauty and what we know must be days and nights filled with unimaginable horror, knocks you right in the gut. This is innocence lost to the horrors men inflict upon one another. It is brilliant that Birley chose, in 1921, some three years after the war had ended, to depict her in between shifts at the nightmare factory, eyes blackened so that the shadows creep all the way onto her cheeks, as if into her soul,, and ours if we listen closely enough.

[@kristi.s9922]

Yes, her one eye is innocent and loving and the other one tired and full of hate to the circumstances, as is her right. That makes this painting so amazing.

[@electoplater]

@@kristi.s9922 the head does not fit the body her chin is in line with her shoulder

[@rlace356]

I hope the artist treated her with respect because what I see in her eye is the look a woman gives a man who has just joined the long list of men behaving badly.

[@zogzog1063]

Good grief - I am stunned. This is within a smidgen of van Gogh's most intense self portraits. Never heard of Birley until now but wow! More than wow! This is something else. The Girl with the Pearl Earring? (I have seen that at the Mauritshuis in The Hague) - this has just as much power. Thank you Philip for sharing this.

[@KayJohnsonArt]

Beautiful... I love your videos Phillip. You bring the paintings you feature to life...

[@anjastracey-pijnappels7332]

Thank for this series but especially this one. A woman who's seen many sad things but is impatient to get on with her work. She has me in tears. So wonderfully portrayed.

[@andrewusher5560]

Stunning.

[@brucemayley6202]

She was my Aunt Elizabeth!

[@ellesmithfagan]

So nice to chance upon Mr. Mould here. I am a fan and own one of his books - probably ought to get more. He tells the stories of these works very well. It's about life! I am an artist and redcross since medevac 1967 with redcross at Fort Knox. Just making masks this time - and donate my own art to fundraise for them. Statement: a super portrait...but so much more: Looking at her face and her age I am CERTAIN, from my own memory of that phase - she is coming of age and having to see the worst of "man's inhumanity to man" - it is a life-changer and that impact shows in her face - she is not tired - she is undone from girlhood forever. Till my own small first work with wounded from the war, I was a crack shot with BB and darts - but never after seeing what shooting at a thing can do to a human being. Parts of her psyche are reborn in a passion to help - and parts are gone forever - the innocence and the disinterest in anything but fun will never be seen in her face again. Her sweet mission to help has shown its horrible roots and she is "one who has seen the eye" now. She is full of strength and passion, though, knowing she is doing all that can be done - "her bit" to make it better, in the here and now. And as long as people respond to need with doing their bit to help, we will make it.

[@derekcustance3618]

Very enjoyable and enlightening, thank you Philip.

[@jimgordon6629]

Very glad to learn of Oswald Burley. It’s a marvelous work, although it suggests to me a woman who has seen great suffering and evidences a marked sadness. I always look forward to your videos with Fiona. It was sheer genius to pair you two!

[@betweenthecedars1452]

Thank you, Philip, for your wonderful, insightful perspective of art and sharing your personal collection. If you are still answering questions I have two: do you have any art by living artists and are you familiar at all with Canadian artists such as the Group of Seven, Tom Thompson, Emily Carr and the like? By the way, your home is spectacularly beautiful. What a surprise it was to see you kissing your chickens and a delight to know you are visited by Canada geese! Once again, thank you for all you do, your KZbin videos and the work you do with Fake or Fortune, my favourite program, and know you have a fan and follower from Vancouver Island, Canada. All the best to you, Philip. - KC Brock

[@ourfloridagarden4191]

This is simply gorgeous.

[@Riderules73]

Unbelievable 47k views. Well done and thank you!

[@corinneaustin2855]

She is beautiful! Any plans to make this available in print form?

[@ivorytower99]

Wonderful presentation, Philip. As a kid, I was sent away to school out the the Berkshires (in western Massachusetts), and pretty much lived in the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, in Williamstown, MA.. There, I was able to study artists like Homer and Sargent - in the flesh. So one can see how I would appreciate a British portraiture artist like Sir Oswald Birley.

[@58southwinds]

Now I want to know more about the nurse..thank you..it is stunning ..

[@mikewilson3581]

From a distance she looks weary. Up close I can see determination. Two paintings in one.

[@zogzog1063]

Two paintings in one! Yes; like a great poem, or a well cut diamond.

[@LA-ph2nc]

Thank you! I so enjoyed this!

[@bettyhoffman1280]

She looks exhausted to me.

[@zogzog1063]

Yes, she is on her way to the next task. I find the different eyes to be intoxicating.

[@ek7593]

Magical, again! Thank you!

[@Aby7799]

Clicked on this video.. Expecting to hear the rich british accent, and boy was I not disappointed. What a orator!! Made my day.

[@sass2836]

What an extraordinary painting. She looks like someone's asked her a question while she's during her shift, and she's turned, tired and world-weary, partially listening before she turns back to focus on her work as a nurse. I found this channel after trying to find more of a Fake or Fortune fix, and what a find! Can't wait to dig into those Art in Isolation episodes, and like with this video, be introduced to more fantastic artists that I otherwise wouldn't have known about.

[@2Sugarbears]

I thought John S. Sargent.

[@silvertbird1]

I am grateful for the gift of beholding this bellissima and learning about the artist and his work. The presenter’s knowledge and ability to communicate what he finds in the work is compelling, and the fact that I want to know everything about the lady pictured bespeaks the brilliance of the painting as not only a work of art but as a record of the human condition.