Paintings: G1526

Maxine Elliott

Elliott, Maxine

von Lenbach, Franz

height: 130cm
width: 98cm

Oil on canvas

Acquired by the Works of Art Committee at an auction at Rosebury's in June 2025.

E0149

This portrait depicts the American actress, Maxine Elliott, whose real name was Jessie Dermot (as spelled in 'Maxine' by her niece Diana Forbes-Robertson). She was born in 1868, the daughter of a sea captain. She made her first appearance on stage at Palmer's Theatre New York, on the 10th of November 1890 as Felicia Umfraville in 'The Middleman'. In 1895 she was hired by Augustin Daly, where she performed as Sylvia in 'Two Gentlemen of Verona' and Hermia in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. She was only with Daly for a year, leaving the company in 1896, but it was considered a formative time in her career. In 1898 she married the American comedian Nathan C. Goodwin, and for a time they worked together and lived together in a house called Jackwood in South East London. They divorced in 1908. Elliott was by now very established and famous actress, and after a friendship with J. P. Morgan she made some investments and became a buisnesswoman. In 1908 she opened The Maxine Theatre in New York, and was for a time the only female actress manager in America.
This painting by Franz von Lenbach, who died in 1904, and therefore must date between 1890 and 1904. The painting shows Elliott, wearing a blue dress, with a square neck and puffed sleeves to the elbow. She has a sash around her waist and holds a hat in her right hand. Her head is tilted slightly up and her eyes look directly out of the picture. It is possible that this painting depicts Elliott isn an unidentified role.