John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) Henry James 1912, charcoal

The American-born writer Henry James is best known as the author of The Ambassadors, and his influence on twentieth century English literature is undisputed. Sargent and James were close friends. They met in Paris in 1884 and it was James who persuaded Sargent to move to London.

Sargent presented this charcoal portrait to King George V in 1916, two weeks after James's death in July. James had been given the Order of Merit by King Edward VII, and this drawing has been kept with a collection portraits of other honourees.

Sargent first drew James in 1885 but he considered that portrait a failure and destroyed it.