Artwork
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Joseph Wright of Derby. It dates from 1770 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Portrait of a Woman depicts an unidentified woman as its sole subject.
Portrait of a Woman depicts an unidentified woman as its sole subject. The painting belongs to the portrait genre, and the work's meaning is rooted in this straightforward act of individual representation rather than in any allegorical or symbolic program. As a portrait by Joseph Wright of Derby, the canvas focuses attention on the sitter's likeness and presence, with no additional iconographic elements documented in the available records to suggest a narrative, emblematic, or moralizing reading.
Technique & Style
The painting Portrait of a Woman by Joseph Wright of Derby, dated 1770, is executed in oil paint on canvas. The support is a canvas surface, and the work follows the conventional handling of oil portraiture of the late eighteenth century. Its dimensions are 126.7 cm in height by 101.6 cm in width, placing the figure centrally within a balanced composition typical of the portrait genre.
The piece is classified as a portrait and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Overview
Joseph Wright of Derby completed Portrait of a Woman in 1770, utilizing oil paint to create this work. The English artist, recognized for both his portraits and landscapes, was active during the Rococo period. This painting is currently held within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a facet of Wright's extensive artistic output.
History & Provenance
Created in 1770, Portrait of a Woman has since become part of a prominent public collection. The painting is presently housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it contributes to the institution's holdings of 18th-century European art. Its acquisition by the museum ensures its accessibility and preservation for scholarly study and public appreciation.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Wright (3 September 1734 – 29 August 1797), styled Joseph Wright of Derby, was an English painter who specialised in portrait painting and landscape art.
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