Artwork
Mrs. Bryan Cooke (Frances Puleston, 1765–1818)
Mrs. Bryan Cooke (Frances Puleston, 1765–1818) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist George Romney. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The sources describe the image simply as a depiction of a woman in a portrait format, without detailing particular iconographic elements or symbolic objects.
The portrait shows Frances Puleston, known as Mrs. Bryan Cooke, a member of an English landed family active in the late 18th century. Rendered by George Romney in 1787, the work is a conventional full‑length portrait that emphasizes the sitter’s refined appearance and social standing. The sources describe the image simply as a depiction of a woman in a portrait format, without detailing particular iconographic elements or symbolic objects.
Consequently, the painting’s meaning is tied to the representation of aristocratic identity and the fashion of the period rather than to overt allegory or narrative symbolism.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1787, this portrait by George Romney is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 127 centimeters in height and 100.3 centimeters in width. Classified as a portrait, the piece depicts a woman, specifically Frances Puleston.
The available records confirm the medium and support but do not provide specific details regarding the artist's brushwork, surface condition, or distinct stylistic handling techniques beyond the general classification of the work as an oil painting.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Mrs. Bryan Cooke (Frances Puleston, 1765–1818) was painted in 1787 by George Romney in oil on canvas. It was created as a likeness of the English aristocrat and remained in her family’s possession until it was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it now resides in the European Paintings collection. The museum’s records list the work’s inception date as 1787 and describe it as a portrait of a woman, confirming both its subject and its creation period.
No earlier ownership details beyond the sitter’s lineage are recorded, but the painting’s presence in the Met’s catalogue establishes its provenance from the late 18th‑century English elite to its current institutional home.
The portrait of Mrs. Bryan Cooke, painted by George Romney in 1787, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It resides specifically within the museum's Department of European Paintings. The artwork, executed in oil on canvas with dimensions of 127 by 100.3 centimeters, depicts Frances Puleston.
While the current location and collection details are established, the provided sources do not contain specific accession numbers or a documented history of exhibitions for this painting.
Overview
This oil painting, created by George Romney in 1794, depicts Frances Puleston, also known as Mrs. Bryan Cooke. Romney was a leading English portraitist during the late 18th century, celebrated for his fashionable depictions of high-society figures. The artwork is presently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
George Romney (26 December 1734 – 15 November 1802) was an English painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures – including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson.
