Portrait of a Woman

The Portrait of a Woman was painted in 1805 by the British portraitist Sir William Beechey, as indicated by the work’s inception date and attribution. No earlier ownership or commission details are provided in the available sources, but the painting is presently part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in New York, where it is catalogued as an oil on canvas portrait depicting a woman with a parasol, shawl, and headband. This establishes the artwork’s dating and its current custodial history.

The 1805 oil-on-canvas portrait titled Portrait of a Woman by Sir William Beechey is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work depicts a woman seated with a parasol, shawl, and headband. While the provided sources confirm the artist, date, medium, dimensions, and current location, they do not supply a specific inventory or accession number for the piece.

Furthermore, the available documentation does not record any exhibition history, meaning no past or future showings are currently verified within these records.

The 1805 oil portrait by British artist William Beechey, catalogued as a painting in the portrait genre, measures 127 × 102.2 cm and depicts a woman wearing a parasol, shawl, and headband. The work belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection and is classified internally as a portrait. Its creation reflects the stylistic conventions of early nineteenth‑century British portraiture, emphasizing realistic representation and contemporary dress.

Painted in 1805, William Beechey's Portrait of a Woman captures a sitter in the refined style characteristic of British Regency portraiture. The subject is depicted seated, wearing a light-colored dress typical of the era's neoclassical fashion, complemented by a white shawl and a contrasting red shawl draped casually over her arm. She holds a folded yellow parasol, an accessory that adds a touch of color and suggests her social standing.

Her hair is pulled back simply with a headband, emphasizing a natural yet elegant appearance. Beechey employs a dark, indistinct background to isolate the figure, directing the viewer's attention entirely to the sitter's face and attire. As a prominent portraitist who served as a court painter to Queen Charlotte, Beechey was known for his ability to convey dignity and likeness without excessive ornamentation.

This work exemplifies his mature style, balancing formal composition with a sense of individual presence. The painting reflects the artist's established reputation during the early 19th century, where he produced numerous commissions for the British aristocracy, maintaining a consistent approach to light, texture, and psychological depth.