Portrait of Catherine Grey, Lady Manners

This full-length portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support measuring approximately 255.3 cm by 158 cm. The composition displays a synthesis of Romantic style with neoclassical motifs, featuring the sitter positioned at the base of marble steps while holding a rose. Lawrence derived the figure's pose from the Medici Venus and included a peacock, likely alluding to Juno, alongside the Borghese Vase in the upper right. The handling of these elements creates a memorable and somewhat unusual visual effect, contrasting the naturalistic rendering of the subject with symbolic classical references. The inclusion of the peacock reportedly displeased the sitter, who associated it with vanity.

The portrait was begun around 1794 and first exhibited that year at the Royal Academy Exhibition in London, held at Somerset House; it is catalogued in this collection with a date of 1798, reflecting the period of its completion.

It was not purchased by its sitter, Catherine Grey, Lady Manners, who reportedly found the composition objectionable, possibly because of the peacock's symbolic association with vanity. The work remained in Lawrence's studio for decades before entering the collection of John D. Rockefeller Jr., who bequeathed it to the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1961, where it is held under inventory number 1961.220. The portrait was also featured in the 2011 exhibition Regency Power and Brilliance at the Yale Center for British Art.

This work exemplifies Thomas Lawrence's early synthesis of Romantic style with neoclassical references. The composition draws on the pose of the Medici Venus and incorporates symbols such as a peacock, likely alluding to Juno, alongside the Borghese Vase. Although the artist was only around twenty at the time of its first Royal Academy exhibition in 1794, he had already been elected a full member, foreshadowing his later dominance as the leading portraitist of the Regency era and his eventual presidency of the Academy in 1820.

Scholarly assessment highlights the painting's unique character; Lucy Peltz has characterized it as one of Lawrence's "most memorable and strange portraits." The work's history reflects a complex critical reception, as the sitter reportedly disliked the inclusion of the peacock and declined to purchase the piece, leaving it in the artist's studio for decades before its eventual acquisition by the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1961.

Later scholarship emphasizes the portrait's role in shaping Lawrence's reputation as a leading Regency portraitist. Critics note its unusual composition, blending neoclassical reference to the Medici Venus with a peacock symbolizing Juno, which scholars interpret as a subtle commentary on vanity. The work remained in the artist's studio for many years before entering the Cleveland Museum of Art collection in 1961, and it was highlighted in the 2011 exhibition Regency Power and Brilliance at the Yale Center for British Art.

Lucy Peltz has described it as one of Lawrence's most memorable and strange portraits, underscoring its lasting impact on the study of his oeuvre.

Thomas Lawrence's 1794 oil painting, Portrait of Catherine Grey, Lady Manners, depicts the Irish poet and author in a full-length format. Lady Manners, known for her literary contributions, is presented standing on marble steps, holding a rose. The composition incorporates classical allusions, such as a peacock, suggesting a blend of contemporary portraiture with historical references. This work exemplifies Lawrence's approach to capturing prominent figures of his era.