John Russell Art

This charming British Old Master Regency pastel portrait painting is by Royal Academy artist John Russell RA. He trained under Cotes and was much influenced by his admiration for Rosalba Carriera, a female Venetian Rococo painter and specialist in pastels. He was a prolific exhibitor at the Royal Academy. This painting dates to 1786. The painting is of Mary Alexaphina Bushby (1776-1823). Our research has found that Mary was daughter of John and Grizzel Bushby and she had 11 siblings. She later married William Curre from Momouthshire. Mary died in 1823 aged 47 having had 10 children. Interestingly, Robert Burns addressed an unpublished poem to her, a copy of which the artist passed to the Dumfries Burns Club. It would be fascinating to see a copy of this poem and to understand more of their relationship Provenance. Labels with provenance details verso. Condition. Pastel on paper laid on canvas, image size is 27 inches by 22 inches and in good condition. Housed in its original gilt frame with original glass, 35 inches by 30 inches framed and in good condition. John Russell RA (1745-1806) was an English painter renowned for his portrait work in oils and pastels, and as a writer and teacher of painting techniques. Russell was born in Guildford, Surrey, the son of John Russell Snr., book and print seller and five times mayor of the town; his father was something of an artist, and drew and published two views of Guildford. Russell was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, and soon showed a strong inclination for art. He trained under Francis Cotes RA (of Cavendish Square, London), one of the pioneers of English pastel painting, and, like Cotes, was an admirer of the pastel drawings of Rosalba Carriera whose methods influenced his technique of "sweetening". At the age of 19 he converted to Methodism, which was the cause of tension with his family and with his teacher; he made no secret of his strong evangelical leanings and would attempt to preach and convert at every opportunity. Russell set up his own studio, in London, in 1767. He made the acquaintance of the notorious Dr. William Dodd, whose portrait he painted in 1768. He was introduced to Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, who unsuccessfully attempted to persuade him to give up painting and attend her Methodist ministers' training college at Trevecca in Wales. On 5 February 1770, he married Hannah Faden, daughter of a Charing Cross print and map seller...