BRYAN ORGAN British, born 1935 Portrait of American socialite and political figure Marietta Peabody Tree, 1971 Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower right. Verso signed and dated. Framed in a distinctive industrial-style frame with a metallic, hammered finished.
Framed measurements: 33.25 x 53.25 inches $1,500-2,500
ARTIST PROFILE: Bryan Organ (born 1935) is a pioneering British artist recognized for revitalizing the art of portraiture during the mid-20th century. Educated at Loughborough College of Art and the Royal Academy Schools, he is celebrated for a minimalist style that simplifies subjects to their essential characteristics, a technique he applied to portraits of iconic figures such as Elton John, Sir David Attenborough, and various members of the British royal family. His 1970 portrait of Princess Margaret and his 1981 official portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales, were considered breakthroughs for their modern, informal approach, though they often sparked public controversy. Beyond his sixteen portraits held by the National Portrait Gallery, Organ’s diverse body of work includes landscapes and lithographic animal studies featured in prestigious collections like the Tate and the Leicester New Walk Museum.
SUBJECT PROFILE: Marietta Peabody Tree (1917–1991) was a prominent American socialite and political figure who successfully navigated the worlds of high society and international diplomacy. Born into an influential family with deep roots in Massachusetts, she initially resisted formal higher education in favor of European finishing schools but later credited her time at the University of Pennsylvania for fundamentally changing her life. Her personal life was marked by high-profile marriages and complex romances, including unions with New York lawyer Desmond FitzGerald and British MP Ronald Tree, as well as significant affairs with film director John Huston and statesman Adlai Stevenson. Professionally, Tree was an ardent Democrat who rose through the party ranks from the Lexington Democratic Club to the Democratic State Committee. Her political career peaked in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy appointed her as the United States Representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, a role she held until 1964 while working alongside Stevenson. In her later years, she broke further barriers by serving on several prestigious corporate boards, including CBS and Pan Am, before passing away in 1991.
