GEORGE ROMNEY (1734-1802) Lady Elizabeth Stanley, Countess of Derby (1778) Oil on canvas (127 x 102 cm) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York To enlarge the picture, right-click on it and choose "Open in a new tab" Romney received little formal education, having left school at an early age to train with his father, …
Tag: 18th century British painting
The arrogant admiral
FRANCIS COTES (1726-1770) Admiral Harry Paulet, Sixth Duke of Bolton (1765) Oil on canvas (127 x 102 cm) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York To enlarge the picture, right-click on it and choose "Open in a new tab" The son of a prominent apothecary and the older brother of Samuel Cotes, the miniaturist, Francis …
A Morbid Sitter
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS (1723-1792) George Augustus Selwyn (c.1764-66) Oil on canvas (99 x 76 cm) The Earl of Rosebery, Dalmeny House, near Edinburgh Apart from being an example of Reynolds' artistic virtuosity, this portrait is fascinating because it represents a distraught individual whose face does not reveal his morbid character. According to Nicholas Penny: "George …
The Countess
SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS (1723-1792) Anne, 2nd Countess Albemarle (c. 1759) Oil on canvas (126 x 101 cm) The National Gallery, London Although some colour has fled from the face in this portrait as is usual with Reynold's work of this period, the shadows there retain their transparency; the lights painted in the patterned black mantle …
Margaret’s Portrait
THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH (1727-1788) Mrs Gainsborough (1778) Oil on canvas (77 x 64 cm) Courtauld Institute Galleries, University of London To enlarge the image, right-click on it, then "Open in a new tab" Gainsborough had been married for over 30 years by the date of this portrait. His marriage to Margaret Burr (1728-1798) was, presumably, a …
The Musical MP
THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH (1727-1788) William Wollaston (1758) Oil on canvas (121 x 98 cm) Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich, UK To enlarge the image, right-click on it and then "Open in a new tab" According to Nicola Kalinsky: "This portrait must have been one of the last Gainsborough undertook in Suffolk before he moved from Ipswich. Wollaston (1730-1797). …
A Scholar and a Gentleman
ALLAN RAMSAY (1713-1784) Robert Wood (1755) Oil on canvas (98 x 74 cm) National Gallery, London Robert Wood (1716-1771), was a classical scholar, archaeologist and politician; educated at the University of Glasgow. After early travels in France, Italy and the Middle East. he joined John Bouverie and James Dawkins on their expedition to Asia Minor and Greece, …
Portrait of a Philosopher
ALLAN RAMSAY (1713-1784) David Hume (1766) Oil on canvas (76 x 63.5 cm) Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh David Hume (1711-1776), eminent Scottish philosopher and historian, one of the greatest figures of the Enlightenment, son of Joseph Home of Ninewells and Catherine Falconer, attended the University of Edinburgh at the unusual age of twelve, at a time …
A View of Hampshire
PAUL SANDBY (1731-1809) Hackwood Park, Hampshire (1763) Oil on canvas (102 x 127 cm) Yale Center for British Art To enlarge the picture, right-click on it and "Open in a new tab" The text of this post was written by the British art historian Malcolm John Warner for the catalogue of the exhibition "This Other …
Grace Dalrymple Elliot
THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH Grace Dalrymple Elliot (c.1778) Oil on canvas (76 x 63 cm) The Frick Collection, New York To enlarge the image, right-click on it and "Open in a new tab" It is very difficult to do justice to Gainsborough's portraits, sometimes it seems that there are not enough words in the English language to …
Old Masters 