Artwork
Portrait of a Woman, Said to Be Lucy Percy (1600?–1660), Countess of Carlisle
Portrait of a Woman, Said to Be Lucy Percy (1600?–1660), Countess of Carlisle is an unspecified painting by Samuel Cooper. It dates from 1653 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
–1660), who became Countess of Carlisle through her marriage to James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle.
The sitter is identified as Lucy Percy (1600?–1660), who became Countess of Carlisle through her marriage to James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle. Painted in 1653 by Samuel Cooper, the miniature employs the restrained elegance typical of mid-seventeenth-century English portraiture, emphasizing the subject’s refined features and poised bearing rather than overt allegory. No overt props or emblems are recorded in the sources, and the small scale and format suggest a private, commemorative function rather than a public display of status or virtue.
The lack of additional iconographic elements in the documented description indicates that the portrait’s meaning resides primarily in the sitter’s identity and the artist’s technical skill, rather than in layered symbolism.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1653 by Samuel Cooper, the miniature is painted in watercolor on vellum, a typical support for English portrait miniatures of the period. The handling combines delicate stippling with fine brushwork to model the sitter’s features, costume, and jewelry, while the background is left a plain off-white to concentrate attention on the face. The oval format and restrained palette emphasize refined detail and quiet luminosity, characteristic of Cooper’s mature style in the 1650s.
History & Provenance
The painting is dated 1653, a date attributed to the artist Samuel Cooper, who is identified as the creator of the work. The portrait is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently located. The sitter is traditionally identified as Lucy Percy (1600?–1660), Countess of Carlisle, though the sources do not detail the circumstances of its commission or subsequent ownership chain prior to the museum's acquisition.
The portrait is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. There, it is catalogued under the accession system without a publicly listed inventory number in the provided sources.
The work has been part of the museum’s permanent holdings since its acquisition. Exhibition history specific to this portrait is not detailed in the available sources, though it remains accessible as part of the museum’s portraiture collections.
Overview
This small oval portrait, attributed to Samuel Cooper, depicts a woman believed to be Lucy Percy, Countess of Carlisle. Created in 1653, it exemplifies the miniature painting genre, a popular form of portraiture during the 17th century. Cooper, a leading English artist of his time, rendered the subject with characteristic detail and refinement, capturing her likeness within a compact format. The artwork is now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
Context
Samuel Cooper was a prominent English miniature painter during the 17th century, recognized for his skill in capturing individual likenesses on a small scale. His refined approach to portraiture distinguished him among his contemporaries, including his elder brother, Alexander Cooper, who was also an artist. This period saw a demand for portable and intimate portraits, a niche that Cooper expertly filled, contributing significantly to the era's visual culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel Cooper (1609 – 5 May 1672), sometimes spelt Samuel Cowper, was an English miniature painter. He was the younger brother of Alexander Cooper.
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