Portrait of a Lady C.1720; Circle of Jonathan Richardson (1667-1745)

This picture formed part of a collection of furniture, art, and heirlooms from the Blount family at their magnificent home, Mawley Hall, Shropshire, which was built by Sir Edward Blount 4th Baronet circa 1728 and is one of Britain's finest privately-owned stately homes. Its Baroque interiors are some of the best in England and the plasterwork in the hall is amongst the finest to be found anywhere in the world.

In this charming portrait the artist has illustrated the youthful sitter in a cobalt blue satin dress. Her long hair falls softly down her neck and shoulder in a style that was popular in the early 18th century. The hat was probably a later addition in the century, added to ‘update’ the painting to the current fashion; it is now an important part of the painting’s history - having been added circa 200 years ago.

Stylistically, the work follows the English eighteenth century tradition of portrait painting, epitomised by Godfrey Kneller; the influence of Sir Godfrey Kneller and John Riley is not surprising considering their importance. Post cleaning the artist’s initials: “M ft (fecit)” were revealed in the left margin.

An eloquent example of British portraiture with very good provenance.

Jonathan Richardson the Elder (1667-1745) was an English artist, collector of drawings and writer on art theory, working as a portrait painter in London. He was one of the most successful native-born portraitists of the first decades of the eighteenth century. He was the master of Thomas Hudson and George Knapton. He himself trained under John Riley, living with him until Riley's death in 1691. By 1705 he was commanding prices for his paintings that were comparable to those of Godfrey Kneller, the most fashionable portrait painter in England at the time.

He owned a superb collection of Old Master drawings. His “An Essay on the Theory of Painting” published in 1715, inspired the young Joshua Reynolds to become an artist. This book is known to be the first significant work of artistic theory in English. Richardson also published with his son Jonathan the Younger (1694-1771) 'An Account of Some of the Statues, Bas reliefs, Drawings and Pictures in Italy' in 1722. The book was compiled by Richardson using material gathered by his son, Jonathan, whilst touring Italy and it became very popular, being used by young men as the basis of their Grand Tour and also as the basis for future purchases of art by wealthy collectors, therefore shaping English interest in foreign old Masters.

Provenance:

Mawley Hall, Shropshire. Almost miraculously, the imposing Palladian mansion of Mawley Hall, designed by Francis Smith of Warwick for Sir Edward Blount (the 4th Baronet) in about 1730, has remained almost entirely unaltered since it was built.

In the early 18th century, plasterwork was the most expensive and most exuberant form of interior decoration and Mawley’s stucco hall is among the finest examples of the art to be found anywhere in the world.

Budgetary considerations aside, one of the reasons for the exquisite craftsmanship to be found throughout Mawley Hall is the fact that Smith of Warwick was the master builder to the influential architect James Gibbs, whose work spanned the transition between the English Baroque and the Georgian architecture inspired by Palladio. As such, Smith had access to, and relationships with, some of the best foreign artisans working in England at the time, including the master stuccodore Francesco Vassalli, and it is to him that the exquisite Italianate plasterwork of Mawley’s reception and staircase hall is attributed.

For many experts who have visited and stayed at the house, the marquetry of the Inlaid Drawing Room is said to be ‘without parallel in the UK and highly unusual’.

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