Artwork
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait of a Woman is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Joshua Reynolds. It dates from 1767 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Together these details suggest the sitter’s genteel identity and convey ideals of virtue and refinement associated with women of the aristocracy.
The work portrays an unidentified woman, the central focus of the composition. She is shown with ermine trim, a bow, and a ribbon, elements noted in the work’s description. The ermine alludes to purity and high status, while the bow and ribbon serve as conventional markers of feminine grace and modesty in eighteenth‑century British portraiture.
Together these details suggest the sitter’s genteel identity and convey ideals of virtue and refinement associated with women of the aristocracy.
History & Provenance
Joshua Reynolds painted Portrait of a Woman in 1767, employing oil on canvas to render a likeness of an unidentified sitter. The work features typical portrait elements such as ermine, a bow, and a ribbon, and is classified as a painting within the portrait genre. It is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is recorded with the accession number 1975.1.196. No records of earlier owners or commissioning details are documented in the available sources.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Portrait of a Woman, presents a seated female figure. She is depicted in a light-colored gown adorned with a fur trim, her hair neatly styled and pulled back. Her hands are gently clasped in her lap.
The artist employs a dark, unadorned background, which serves to emphasize the woman's illuminated face and upper body, drawing the viewer's attention directly to her presence.
Technique & Style
The artist utilized oil paint to create distinct textural qualities within the portrait. The subject's skin is rendered with smooth, refined brushstrokes, contributing to a sense of delicate realism. In contrast, the fabric of her dress, particularly the fur trim, exhibits a more tactile quality, suggesting its luxurious and soft nature.
The dramatic contrast between light and shadow, known as chiaroscuro, is central to the composition, making the figure emerge from the deep background.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits.
- Portrait of a Woman
Mrs. Thomas Horne
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Portrait of Mary Wise
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Lady Mary Berkeley, Wife of Thomas Chambers
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Anne Dashwood (1743–1830), Later Countess of Galloway
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