Portrait of Mavis de Vere Cole

Mavis de Vere Cole occupied an enigmatic role in John's life. Feisty and independant, she met the artist when she was 19 and he was 50. Her arrival on the London scene was confirmed when she attracted the attentions of Horace de Vere Cole. However, their marriage proved to be doomed and John stepped in. Mavis was John's chief mistress-model for many years, and when she gave birth to Tristan Hilarius John de Vere Cole in 1934, John was delighted to claim the role of father, even offering with Dorelia's consent, to legally adopt the child. Mavis eventually married Sir Mortimer Wheeler, but after a brief interlude continued the relationship with John. Her role as muse provided him with endless artistic inspiration, but in the end perhaps was too unsettling for him and she was replaced by other, less hectic, girls.