Artwork
Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland)
Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist George Romney. It dates from 1773 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
History & Provenance
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, has included the work in multiple displays, notably featuring it in the Romney holdings of the 1934 accession cohort.
George Romney executed the oil-on-canvas portrait titled Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland) in 1773. The work depicts Elizabeth Cumberland and was created as a standalone piece within the artist's prolific period of portraiture. Historical records indicate that Maria Antoinette Hunt Evans was a notable owner in the work's ownership chain prior to its arrival at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it is currently held. The painting measures 73.7 cm in height and 63.5 cm in width.
The composition features Elizabeth Cumberland engaged in reading, specifically referencing the literary work The Fashionable Lover. While the specific commissioning details regarding the full Cumberland family are not detailed in the available records, the piece remains a significant example of Romney's portraiture from the early 1770s.
The painting is held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it is recorded as accession number 1934.19. Romney depicted Elizabeth Cumberland in 1773; the canvas measures 73.7 cm in height and 63.5 cm in width. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, acquired the work from Maria Antoinette Hunt Evans, aligning with Romney’s original commission for the portrait.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, has included the work in multiple displays, notably featuring it in the Romney holdings of the 1934 accession cohort.
Legacy
The portrait has been cited in art historical surveys as an early example of Romney's experimentation with intimate domestic subjects, influencing later portraitists who sought to blend personal narrative with formal composition. Its inclusion in major museum collections has reinforced scholarly attention to the artist's role in shaping 18th‑century British portraiture, with the work frequently referenced in discussions of gender representation within the genre.
Overview
George Romney’s 1773 oil painting, titled Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland), presents a quiet domestic scene of two young women. Executed in a Rococo manner, the work is part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s collection, offering a glimpse into eighteenth‑century English portraiture and the artist’s skill in rendering intimate moments.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a seated girl, presumed to be Elizabeth Cumberland, with an open volume of The Fashionable Lover resting on her lap, while a second girl stands behind her, lightly resting a hand on the sitter’s shoulder. The tender gesture and shared focus on the book suggest themes of sisterly affection, education, and the cultivated leisure of genteel families.
Technique & Style
Romney employs a restrained palette of earthy tones, allowing a soft, golden illumination to model the figures. Subtle chiaroscuro creates depth, emphasizing the girls’ faces and the texture of the book. The brushwork is smooth and refined, typical of Rococo portraiture, yet the overall mood conveys a restrained intimacy rather than overt ornamentation.
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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.
The Calmady Children (Emily, 1818–?1906, and Laura Anne, 1820–1894)
Lady Mary Templetown and Her Eldest Son
The Sisters
The Hartley Children
Gentle Critics (The Portfolio)
The Little Gardener
Mrs. Hugh Morgan and Her Daughter
Julie Le Brun (1780–1819) Looking in a Mirror
The Marquise de Pezay, and the Marquise de Rougé with Her Sons Alexis and Adrien
The Little Schoolmistress
The Vanderkemp Children- Portrait of the Misses Mary and Emily McEuen