Existing comment:
Lady Diana Manners 1892–1986
High-spirited, beautiful, and eccentric, Lady Diana Manners was at the center of a coterie of young, intellectual aristocrats who dominated British social
headlines in the years leading up to World War I. Most of her male friends died in battle while she and her female friends worked as nurses.
After the war, Lady Diana half-heartedly pursued a career in journalism before discovering a passion for acting. In the early 1920s, she starred in two of the earliest feature-length color films. However, she made her name in a multi-year, international tour of Max Reinhardt's play The Miracle, in which she played a statue of the Virgin Mary that comes to life. She gained even greater acclaim in the role of diplomatic hostess, serving with distinction during her husband's ambassadorship to France (1944–47). Her witty three-volume autobiography provides a unique perspective on the political and social events of her lifetime.
Charcoal on paper, 1914
Private collection
This is the National Portrait Gallery sign in the exhibit. |