Artwork
Miss Beatrix Lister
Miss Beatrix Lister is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Joshua Reynolds. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Its support consists of a canvas substrate, with the image built up from oil paint applied in thin, blended layers typical of Reynolds’s technique.
The painting is an oil on canvas portrait executed in 1765 by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Its support consists of a canvas substrate, with the image built up from oil paint applied in thin, blended layers typical of Reynolds’s technique. The work measures approximately 74.9 cm in height by 62.2 cm in width, giving it a half‑length format that emphasizes the sitter’s status.
The portrait depicts Beatrix Lister, a member of the Lister family, and was originally commissioned as a full‑scale representation of her likeness. The surface remains largely intact, showing the characteristic varnish and glazing of late‑18th‑century portraiture.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Miss Beatrix Lister by Sir Joshua Reynolds is dated to 1765. It descended by inheritance from the sitter to her son, Thomas Lister Parker, who owned it at least until 1817. By at least 1878 the work had passed to Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale, and was recorded at Gisburne Park in 1878.
It was handled by Thos. Agnew & Sons in 1918–1919, purchased by Lady Michelham in 1919, and resold through Agnew’s in 1921 to Arthur J. Sulley & Co. in 1923. By 1925 it belonged to Mr. and Mrs. William Larimer Mellon of Pittsburgh, later to their daughter Margaret Mellon Hitchcock in New York, and was given to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in 1995.
The portrait is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., accessioned as 1995.51.1. It entered the collection in 1995 as a gift from Margaret Mellon Hitchcock. The painting was previously in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. William Larimer Mellon, Pittsburgh, by 1925, and descended through their daughter to the donors.
It had been sold by Lady Michelham to Agnew’s in 1921, then to Arthur J. Sulley & Co. in 1923, before entering the Mellon collection.
Overview
Sir Joshua Reynolds completed Miss Beatrix Lister in 1765, rendering the subject in oil on canvas. This portrait captures a young woman seated, engaging directly with the viewer. The work exemplifies Reynolds's prominent role as a leading English portraitist during the 18th century, showcasing his characteristic approach to depicting contemporary figures.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents Beatrix Lister, a young woman, seated and looking directly forward. Her expression conveys a sense of calm and gentleness. Her elaborate attire and period-specific hairstyle offer insight into 18th-century fashion and social presentation.
The direct gaze establishes an immediate connection between the sitter and the observer, a common feature in formal portraiture of the era.
Context
Sir Joshua Reynolds was a preeminent English portrait painter of the 18th century. His stature was solidified by his appointment as the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts, an institution he helped establish. Four years after completing this portrait, he received a knighthood in 1769, further acknowledging his significant contributions to British art and culture.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits.
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