Irving Ramsey WILES ✿

Irving Ramsey Wiles (April 8, 1861 – July 29, 1948) was an important American artist, born in Utica, New York. Wiles was a popular exponent of American grand manner portraiture as redefined by the work of John Singer Sargent, Giovanni Boldini, and James Whistler in late 19th century Europe.

During his peak, he was one of the leading portraitists in America, working alongside his compatriots John White Alexander and Cecilia Beaux to paint the American leisure class.

Despite the decline of interest in his work (in part due to the general declining status of grand manner portraiture during the 21st century), Wiles' paintings today continue to reside and remain on display in institutions such as the de Young Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery, Washington D.C., and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

In his early years, he worked as an illustrator for American magazines, and later he devoted himself with great success to portraiture. He was a member of the Society of American Artists, which prefaced his 1897 election into the National Academy of Design as an associate. Wiles was also a member of the American Water Color Society.