Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1700s.
In this insightful painting the lady is shown as clearly intelligent and capable of strong opinion, yet she has compassion.
She wears the fashionable 'undress' of the time with a loosely knotted scarf worn 'a la Steinkerk', painted with strong brush strokes and a painterly delight in the medium.
JONATHAN RICHARDSON (1665–1745) sometimes called "the Elder" to distinguish him from his son, was an English artist, collector of drawings, and writer on art, working almost entirely as a portrait-painter in London.
Richardson was born in 1666, but when he was about seven his father died and his mother married again. Richardson became a scrivener's apprentice, but he was released early when his master retired. Richardson was lucky enough to be taken on as a painting apprentice by John Riley. He learnt the art of portraiture from Riley whilst living at his master's house. Richardson's wife was Riley's niece.
Richardson was as influential as a writer as well as a painter according to Samuel Johnson. He is credited with inspiring Joshua Reynolds to paint and theorise with his 1715 book 'An Essay on the Theory of Painting'.
In 1731 he was considered by some art-critics as one of the three foremost painters of his time with Charles Jervas and Michael Dahl. He was the master of Thomas Hudson and George Knapton.
SIZE: 37.5 x 32 inches including the frame.
PROVENANCE: Auction of the Estate of The Rt. Hon. The Countess Batinski of Belgrave Square, London, on 23 September 1940 (as Manner of Kneller).
Private Collection, Lincolnshire, for many years.
Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1700s.
Roy and nadine precious: specialists in portraiture from the 16th to the 20th century. Established in 1972.
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Portrait of a Lady C.1695; Attributed to Jonathan Richardson.
