Artwork
Bust Portrait of a Lady
Bust Portrait of a Lady is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist William Hogarth. It dates from 1740 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Created circa 1740, this oil painting presents a half‑length portrait of a woman.
About this work
The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume in the painting, drawing the viewer's attention to the subject's face and clothing.
This painting is a portrait of a woman, depicted from the shoulders up. She wears a white dress with a lace collar and a matching head covering that frames her face. The background is dark, which helps to highlight the subject's features.
The woman's expression is neutral, and her gaze is directed slightly to the right of the viewer. Her attire and hairstyle suggest that the painting was created in the 18th century.
The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume in the painting, drawing the viewer's attention to the subject's face and clothing. To learn more about this technique, look up chiaroscuro.
Overview
Created circa 1740, this oil painting presents a half‑length portrait of a woman. She is shown from the shoulders upward, set against a dark backdrop that isolates her figure. The work exemplifies the Rococo period’s interest in elegance and refined detail, while also reflecting the artist’s skill in rendering texture and light.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter wears a white gown with a delicate lace collar and a matching head covering that frames her face. Her expression is composed, with a slight gaze turned to the viewer’s right, suggesting a calm, perhaps modest demeanor. The attire and hairstyle align with mid‑eighteenth‑century fashion, indicating her social standing without overt symbolism.
Technique & Style
Hogarth employs chiaroscuro to model the woman's features, using the contrast between the illuminated clothing and the deep background to create a sense of three‑dimensionality. The brushwork captures the softness of the lace and the sheen of the fabric, while the controlled palette emphasizes the purity of the white dress against the surrounding gloom.
History & Provenance
The portrait was painted by English artist William Hogarth, known primarily for his satirical series and portraiture. Emerging from a modest London family and trained as an engraver, Hogarth produced this work during his early mature period. Its provenance traces back to private collections before entering a public institution in the twentieth century.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraver, satirist, cartoonist and writer.
Mrs Smith (born c 1690)
Ann Fraser, Mrs. Alexander Fraser Tytler
The Artist's Mother (Isabella Newton, Mrs John Yellowlees, 1753 - 1825)
Katherine Paterson, Mrs John Walkinshaw of Barrowfield and Camlachie (called Lady Barrowfield), (c 1683 - 1780). Mother of Clementina Walkinshaw
Bunica
Mrs Dawson
Portrait of Christina Sebilla Charlotte Bakhuizen (1750-1810)
Portrait of a Woman (Mrs. Ann Hivlyn)
Portrait of an Old Lady
Mrs. Samuel Rodman (Elizabeth Rotch)
Mary Degg, Lady Robert Manners (1737 - 1829)
Mary Thomas, the Artist's second Wife