Portrait of a Lady
- Thomas Lawrence, English, 1769-1830
- Born: Bristol, England
Sir Thomas Lawrence
British, 1769–1830
Portrait of a Lady, early 1790s
Oil paint on paper mounted on canvas
Gift of the Berger Collection Educational Trust, 2019.15
Painted when Lawrence was in his early twenties, around the time he was named painter to George III, Portrait of a Lady displays the naturalism and freshness that distinguished him from his peers and made him the most sought-after portrait painter in Europe. The sitter is unknown, though she was once thought to be Lady Cecil Hamilton, a member of a long-established Scottish noble family. Lawrence records the features of her face with dazzling precision while her hair and dress are loosely brushed and the background formed of a dusky halo of zig-zag strokes. The sketchy quality of the picture suggests that Lawrence may have intended it as a preparation for a more finished portrait, which has yet to come to light.
- “Treasures from the Berger Collection: British Paintings 1400-2000” — Denver Art Museum, 10/2/2014 – 9/9/2018