James Pope-Hennessy
James Pope-Hennessy
ANA INEZ “CHIQUITA” ASTOR (1918-1992)
James Pope-Hennessy
Inscribed on the reverse: JPH (reading The Blessing) at Hatley, Sketch by Chiquita Astor 1951 (or ’52?) Oil on canvasboard Framed
30.5 by 40 cm., 12 by 15 in. (frame size 38.5 by 48.5 cm., 15 by 19 in.)
Born Ana Inez “Chiquita” Carano y Morra, she was the daughter of the Argentina ambassador to Paris. During World War II the embassy was moved to London where Chiquita joined the London wartime social scene. In 1944 she married Sir John Jacob “Jakie” Astor, the youngest son of Waldorf, 2nd Viscount Astor and Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor. They were divorced in 1972. For a time Chiquita worked as a theatrical costume and set designer and contributed to Vogue magazine. She died in London in 1992. James Pope-Hennessy (1916-1974) was a British biographer and travel writer. He was the younger brother of the art historian and museum director John Pope-Hennessy. He was one of the leading biographers of his time and is probably best known for his 1959 biography of Queen Mary. He was murdered in his London flat in 1974. In the present work he is seen relaxing on a sofa at Hatley Park, the Astor’s house in Cambridgeshire. According to the inscription on the reverse he is reading Nancy Mitford’s latest novel, The Blessing, published 1951.
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 James Pope-Hennessy Inscribed on the reverse: JPH (reading The Blessing) at Hatley, Sketch by Chiquita Astor 1951 (or ’52?) Oil on canvasboard Framed 30.5 by 40 cm., 12 by 15 in. (frame size 38.5 by 48.5 cm., 15 by 19 in.) Born Ana Inez “Chiquita” Carano y Morra, she was the daughter of the Argentina ambassador to Paris. During World War II the embassy was moved to London where Chiquita joined the London wartime social scene. In 1944 she married Sir John Jacob “Jakie” Astor, the youngest son of Waldorf, 2nd Viscount Astor and Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor. They were divorced in 1972. For a time Chiquita worked as a theatrical costume and set designer and contributed to Vogue magazine. She died in London in 1992. James Pope-Hennessy (1916-1974) was a British biographer and travel writer. He was the younger brother of the art historian and museum director John Pope-Hennessy. He was one of the leading biographers of his time and is probably best known for his 1959 biography of Queen Mary. He was murdered in his London flat in 1974. In the present work he is seen relaxing on a sofa at Hatley Park, the Astor’s house in Cambridgeshire. According to the inscription on the reverse he is reading Nancy Mitford’s latest novel, The Blessing, published 1951.){kind=link}