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Vivien Leigh as Blanche Dubois in <i>A Streetcar Named Desire</i> by Tennessee Williams

Alfred Kingsley Lawrence

1950

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Realism Contemporary

Dominant colour

Vivien Leigh as Blanche Dubois in <i>A Streetcar Named Desire</i> by Tennessee Williams is a 1950 paint by Alfred Kingsley Lawrence, a Realism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Alfred Kingsley Lawrence
When & what style?: 1950 · Realism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a woman standing in a dimly lit room. She’s wearing a long, flowing white dress with sheer layers and a draped bodice. Her hair is pulled back, and she holds her hands near her chest. The background is dark and blurry, with a hint of furniture and a window. The artist used soft brushstrokes to make the dress look almost translucent, with light catching the fabric’s edges. The woman’s pose is calm but slightly tense, like she’s waiting. Check out chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create drama in paintings.

The story of this work

Overview

A full-length oil portrait depicts Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois, shown in a three-quarter pose with her body angled to the right and her head turned left toward the viewer. The composition places her within a dimly lit interior rendered in brown and black tones, where she wears a cream evening dress and holds a glass in her right hand.

Read the full account in the museum source.