Laura Coombs Hills

The only known portrait of Greene by a woman artist, this small-scale watercolor on ivory was created in 1910 by the miniaturist Laura Coombs Hills. Greene traveled to Boston more than once to sit for Hills, and she was apparently pleased with the result. Hills asked Greene if she could borrow the miniature for an exhibition in 1912, but Greene refused to lend it. Greene apparently liked this portrait and her comments on her "Egyptian" appearance offer fascinating insight into the ways she exoticized herself from time to time in letters to Bernard Berenson.

BG to BB, 2/24/10 (55): “I am having my portrait painted in an old Spanish shawl that the Big Chief gave me – It is very tedious & tiresome work and I shall be glad when it is finished – but alas! I promised to sit for Laura Hills in Boston in April. She wants to make a miniature of me, seated on a leopard’s skin! Don’t you think that is a horrible idea? She insists that it will be the best thing she has done”

BG to BB, 3/11/10 (58): “I shall probably remain there until April 15th on which day I go to Boston to give Laura Hills a chance to finish a miniature of me – and shall probably be back here on May 1st”

BG to BB, 6/7/10 (67): “I am sending you by mail today a photograph of Laura Hills miniature of me – It is a horrid photo & it really is not fair to her to send it to you – but I felt that something that was me must go to you at once The whole value of the portrait really lies in the coloring which is quite wonderful – the veil which I have around me is a most wonderful glowing saffron with high lights of sunset colors in it & the background is a dull gold – It is not the Belle that you know but you will know her some day & you, I think will like her – It is the Belle of one of my former incarnations “Egyptienne” – If you don’t like it just tear it up”