[From the Community Collection, a public trust in Agincourt, Iowa]

ALEXANDER, Jean Dryden (1911-1994)

“After Frans Hals”

unsigned / date unknown

Oil on canvas board / 13.8 inches by 9.7 inches

Jean Dryden Alexander was the youngest daughter of watercolourists Robert Graham Dryden Alexander and Effie Alexander. Born in 1911 in Essex, her artistic influence stemmed from her parents and their artist circle of friends, who included Hercules Brabazon Brabazon and Sir George Clausen. The whole family spent as much time as possible painting en plein air around Essex and its coastline. Jean was educated at Queen Anne’s School, Caversham and studied art at Chelmsford Art School (1928-1931). She won a scholarship to the Slade School of Art (1931-1935). Exhibitions Include: The Royal Academy, The New English Art Club, The Society of Women Artists and The Whitechapel Art Gallery.

The fine portrait above is copied from an original by Dutch artist Frans Hals (1582-1666) and comes from the Art Department at NITC. It may have been acquired by Karl Wasserman for use as a teaching tool. The original is shown at left — a detail of “The Regents of St Elizabeth’s Hospital of Haarlem” (1641):