Jean Simmons
- Artist: Sir Matthew Smith
- Date: 1946
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 30 in. x 20 in. (762 mm x 508 mm)
- Portrays: Jean Merilyn Simmons
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
"This is 'Jean Simmons,' an oil on canvas portrait by Sir Matthew Smith, completed in 1946. You’ll see her standing a few feet away from the frame, head turned slightly to her right. Her profile is rendered with a gentle light that highlights the subtle folds of a modest dress and a soft, flowing hairline.
Notice how Smith captures the young actress’s eyes: bright and attentive, hinting at the role she’d later play as Estella in David Lean’s film adaptation of *Great Expectations*. The brushwork on her cheeks is smooth, yet he adds delicate texture to the sleeves. A quiet light from a low window gives the whole image its calm tone.
This painting was commissioned by Stewart Granger, her soon‑to‑be husband, as a gift for her – a gesture that echoes their shared world of stage and screen. It sits in the National Portrait Gallery’s long‑term loan collection, a testament to a remarkable early career of an actress who made her mark after World War II."
See it in person
Jean Simmons is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
