Joseph Wright of Derby

Portrait of a Lady with a Shepherd's Crook

George Knapton 1698-1778 Portrait of a Girl Oil on canvas Image size: 20 x 18 inches Original giltwood frame This beautiful half length portrait  of a young woman, turned to left, gazing at the spectator, wearing a pink, white lace-embroidered, dress, in her hair a pink bonnet trimmed with lace to match her dress. The depiction of a young girl epitomises child portraiture of the late eighteenth century, in which painters such as William Beechey, Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough had begun to discover and express the true character of children, in contrast to the stiff, miniature-adults of previous generations. The Artist Knapton was born in Lymington, one of four sons of James Knapton. He was apprenticed to Jonathan Richardson from 1715 to 1722, and in 1720 was a founding subscriber to the academy of St. Martin's Lane established by Louis Chéron...

Portrait of Lady Mansfield of Ringwood Oil on Canvas, unsigned Image size: 25 x 30 inches (63 x 76 cm) Original carved & gilded frame Provenance Descended through the Family Estate ...

Thomas Hudson 1701 – 1779 Portrait of a Lady Oil on canvas Image size: 30 x 25 inches Original carved giltwood frame Hudson had many assistants, and employed the specialist drapery ...

Portrait of Lady Mansfield of Ringwood Oil on Canvas, unsigned Image size: 25 x 30 inches (63 x 76 cm) Original carved & gilded frame Provenance Descended through the Family Estate Born in Poland in 1760 to the 2nd Earl of Mansfield and his wife, Elizabeth Mary Murray would later come under the care of her uncle, William Murray (1st Earl of Mansfield) at Kenwood House in Hampstead. David Murray (2nd Earl of Mansfield) was set to inherit the title and full wealth of his uncle, including Kenwood House. Lady Mansfield’s second cousin would soon join her at Kenwood, where they would be raised together and featured in multiple portraits of the time. Her younger sister, Henrietta, is seen in a separate portrait done by Thomas Hudson as well. At the age of 25 she married George Finch-Hatton, an English aristocrat and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1772-1784. Gazing out at the viewer, Lady Mansfield wears a decorated dress, with an abundance of pearls and lace, and a transparent gold lined veil surrounding her right shoulder. The excess of luxurious fabric matches another Hudson portrait of another Lady Mansfield, with the lace detailing and complementary bodice. The depiction of this Lady Mansfield epitomizes the style of portraiture in the 18th century, such as the styles Hudson’s pupils Joshua Reynolds, Joseph Wright, and Peter Toms. From Hudson’s travels to the Low Countries and Italy, he no doubt brought back artistic inspiration from the international pieces he encountered. Thomas Hudson Hudson was a celebrated 18th century portrait painter. Born in Devon in 1701 he studied under the artist Jonathan Richardson and married his daughter, against Richardson’s wishes. He had many artistic friends including William Hogarth and Francis Hayman and travelled with them in Europe in 1748. He also visited Italy with the sculptor Louis-François Roubiliac in 1752. Hudson’s style of portraiture proved so successful that for a decade from 1745 to 1755 he was London’s most popular portrait painter and made a fortune painting the cream of London society and members of the Royal Family. He was also a talented teacher, perhaps too good, as subsequently a number of his former assistants overtook him in popularity including the artist Joshua Reynolds. Hudson retired in the late 1750’s and died in Twickenham in 1779. His most notable works include portraits of King George II and George Friedrich Handel and his “Portrait of a Nobleman in Van Dyck dress.” Many of Hudson’s works may be seen in art galleries. These include the National Portrait Gallery, the National Maritime Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Foundling Museum and the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. His works are also in Museums across the world...

Attributed to Arthur Pond British, (1701-1758) Portrait of a Lady Oil on canvas Image size: 50.75 inches x 41.5 inches Size including frame: 58.5 inches x...

This superb British 18th century Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to Matthew William Peters. Painted circa 1780 it is a fine half length portrait of a woman gazing to her left. She has a lovely blue bow and sash on her dress. The sympathetic detail in her face is sublime. A really wonderful 18th century Old Master portrait. Matthew William Peters was known for his late 18th century portraits which had both the influence of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. Provenance. Lincolnshire estate. Condition. Oil on canvas 30 inches by 25 inches unframed and in good condition. Has has restoration. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt carved swept period frame, 40 inches by 35 inches framed and in good condition. Matthew William Peters (1742-1814) was an English portrait and genre painter who later became an Anglican clergyman and chaplain to George IV. He became known as "William" when he started signing his works as "W. Peters". Peters was born in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, the son of Matthew Peters (born at Belfast, 1711), a civil engineer and member of the Royal Dublin Society; by Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of George Younge of Dublin. The family moved from England to Dublin when Peters was young. Peters received his artistic training from Robert West in Dublin; in 1756 and 1758 he received prizes from the first School of Design in Dublin. In 1759, he was sent by the Dublin Society to London to become a student of Thomas Hudson and won a premium from the Society of Arts. The group also paid for him to travel to Italy to study art from 1761 to 1765. On 23 September 1762 he was elected to the Accademia del Disegno in Florence. Peters returned to England in 1765 and exhibited works at the Society of Artists from 1766 to 1769. Beginning in 1769, Peters exhibited works at the Royal Academy. In 1771 he was elected an associate and in 1777 an academician. He returned to Italy in 1771 and stayed until 1775. He also probably traveled to Paris in 1783–84, where he met Léopold Boilly, Antoine Vestier, and was influenced by the work of Jean-Baptiste Greuze. On 27 February 1769, Peters became a freemason, and he was made the grand portrait painter of the Freemasons and the first provincial grand master of Lincolnshire in 1792. In 1785, he exhibited portraits of the Duke of Manchester and Lord Petre as Grand Master at the Royal Academy exhibition. According to Robin Simon's article in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, no British contemporary had such an Italian manner of painting as Peters, reflecting the old masters he copied. Many of Peters' works were erotic and although these works did not damage his career, according to Simon, Peters later regretted these when he became an ordained clergyman in 1781. He served as the Royal Academy's chaplain from 1784 to 1788, at which time he resigned to become chaplain to the Prince of Wales. In 1784, Peters was awarded the living of Scalford, Leicestershire by Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland. In 1788, the Dowager Duchess gave him the living at Knipton, at which time he also obtained that at Woolsthorpe. These livings were near to Belvoir Castle...

Portrait of a lady, traditionally identified as Grace Loftus,of Beverley hall yorkshire.Three-quarter-length, before a window. Dressed in blue and wearing a white bonnet. The paintin...

Sir Godfrey Kneller 1646-1723, was a German born British portrait painter. He was born in Leiden and studied under Bol and Rembrandt, before travelling to Rome, Venice, Hamburg and ...