Her Leisure Hour

Irving Ramsey Wiles, born on April 8, 1861, in Utica, New York, emerged as a distinguished figure in American portraiture during the early 20th century. His artistic journey began under the guidance of his father, Lemuel M. Wiles, a landscape painter, before formal training at the Art Students League of New York with James Carroll Beckwith and William Merritt Chase, and later in Paris under Carolus-Duran. Wiles initially made his mark as an illustrator for American magazines, a testament to his versatile talent. However, it was his shift to portraiture that cemented his reputation, aligning him with the grand manner style popularized by contemporaries like John Singer Sargent and James Whistler. Wiles' career soared in 1902 following the exhibition of his portrait of actress Julia Marlowe at the National Academy, a work that epitomized the elegance and sophistication of his approach. This success ushered in a prolific period where he became one of America's premier portraitists, capturing the essence of the leisure class with a finesse that rivaled his peers, including John White Alexander and Cecilia Beaux. Despite the waning popularity of grand manner portraiture in later years, Wiles' legacy endures through his works displayed in prestigious institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. His contributions to the art world were recognized through his memberships in the Society of American Artists and the American Water Color Society, as well as his election as an associate to the National Academy of Design in 1897. Wiles retired in the late 1920s due to health issues, leaving behind a body of work that continues to be celebrated for its technical mastery and aesthetic appeal.