Photograph by Hilaire D’Arois, Houghton Library

As the story goes in Leon Edel’s remarkable biography of Henry James, several good friends wished to pay homage to the master on his seventieth birthday “in a fitting public fashion.” They raised funds and purchased a ”gilt Charles 11 porringer and dish to be presented to the author of The Golden Bowl. Nearly 300 persons subscribed and the balance of funds was offered to John Singer Sargent to paint a portrait. “ Sargent, as a friend of Henry James for many years, refused to take any honorarium and the sum was used to commission a bust of James by a young sculptor suggested by Sargent, Derwood Kent.” James had no objection and agreed to sit for a series of photographs, by photographer Hilaire D’Arois. The photo here is one of many taken. The collection has been published and regarded as “a series of starkly candid working photos.” In itself it is an image of the tragic hero of his story, The Beast In The Jungle.