Who painted Mrs. Thomas Horne?

Mrs. Thomas Horne was painted by Francis Cotes in c. 1768/1770.

Where can I see Mrs. Thomas Horne?

Mrs. Thomas Horne is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Mrs. Thomas Horne?

Mrs. Thomas Horne is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Mrs. Thomas Horne?

Museum-quality prints of Mrs. Thomas Horne are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Mrs. Thomas Horne by Francis Cotes (c. 1768/1770)

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right, FC in monogram and "ft" obscured and difficult to read: F.Cotes ft

About this work

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas. It exemplifies the portrait technique of Francis Cotes, demonstrating a refined handling of oil paint that conveys delicate facial modeling and soft drapery, characteristic of late 18th‑century British portraiture. The composition presents the sitter in a conventional three‑quarter view, with a restrained palette and meticulous attention to texture, contributing to the formal elegance of the piece.

History & Provenance

The work descended through the Horne family to Henry, baron Horne of Stirkoke [1861-1929] of Stirkoke House, Caithness [Scotland].

Francis Cotes painted Mrs. Thomas Horne in 1768, likely commissioned by her husband Thomas Horne. The work descended through the Horne family to Henry, baron Horne of Stirkoke [1861-1929] of Stirkoke House, Caithness [Scotland]. It was sold by Vicars Bros., London on 26 March 1919 to Thomas Agnew & Sons, London [1], then to John Levy Galleries, New York on 16 September 1919 [1].

By 1925 the painting was owned by Benjamin F. Jones, Jr. [1868-1928] of Sewickley Heights, Pennsylvania [2], and remained in his family after his death. It was sold at Parke-Bernet in New York on 4-5 December 1941 (lot 34) and subsequently acquired by William R. Coe [1869-1955] of Oyster Bay, New York. The Coe Foundation later held the work, which was gifted to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1961.

The provenance chain includes: Thomas Horne (original patron), Henry, baron Horne of Stirkoke, Thomas Agnew & Sons (1919), John Levy Galleries (1919), Benjamin F. Jones, Jr. (1925), William R. Coe (post-1941), Coe Foundation, and finally the National Gallery of Art (1961).

The painting entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. as a gift of the Coe Foundation in 1961. It had previously belonged to William R. Coe of Oyster Bay, Long Island, and before that passed through the collection of Benjamin F. Jones, Jr. in Sewickley Heights, Pennsylvania, by whose wife it was inherited and offered at Parke-Bernet in New York on 4–5 December 1941 (lot 34 of the first day's sale). Earlier in its commercial history, the work was handled by the Vicars Brothers in London, then sold on 26 March 1919 to Thomas Agnew & Sons in London, and on 16 September 1919 to the John Levy Galleries in New York.

An early exhibition record is documented in 1925, when the portrait was lent by Mrs. B. F. Jones, Jr. to the Carnegie Institute exhibition _Paintings by Old Masters from Pittsburgh Collections_, listed as catalogue no. 8.

Overview

Francis Cotes painted the portrait known as Mrs. Thomas Horne around 1769. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures a modest size typical of private commissions of the period. The composition centers a seated woman against a subdued green backdrop, allowing the figure’s attire and accessories to dominate the visual field.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is presented with a composed, neutral expression, her face turned slightly toward the viewer’s left. Her dark hair is gathered in an up‑do crowned by a single pearl ornament, suggesting a concern for genteel appearance. The pink dress with a lace collar and the black lace shawl convey both fashionability and modest refinement, reflecting the social expectations of an 18th‑century middle‑class lady.

The Hon. Mrs. Thomas Graham, Thomas Gainsborough

Artist & collection

Artist

Francis Cotes

Francis Cotes (20 May 1726 – 16 July 1770) was an English painter who was one of the pioneers of English pastel painting and co-founded the Royal Academy in 1768.