GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Sir Thomas Lawrence began earning his reputation as a portraitist at the end of the 18th century, and in 1794 he was elected a Royal Academician. He became immensely famous after 1815, when he painted almost all the kings and rulers of Europe. Lawrence’s virtuoso brushstroke, his sensitive approach to painting women and children, and his decisive portrayals of men created a template for a generation of European portraitists to emulate. This painting exemplifies Lawrence’s fluency with the effects of light and color. The face is exceptionally animated, with insouciantly tilted head, parted lips, and lively eyes. This portrait of Julia Hankey was likely commissioned as a betrothal image, anticipating her marriage to Lt. Colonel the Honorable Thomas Seymour Bathurst. The painting later decorated the dining room at Hyams, their house in Surrey, and remained in the Bathurst family until 1986.
Adapted from1958
- Bonnie Pitman, ed., Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2012), 181.
- Heather MacDonald, DMA label copy, 2010.
- Dorothy Kosinski, "Portrait of the Honorable Mrs. Seymour Bathurst," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 100.
NOTES
Created 1828
Sir Thomas Lawrence was one of the foremost English portrait painters of his day. He succeeded Sir Joshua Reynolds as principal painter to King George III. This portrait of Julia, daughter of Peter Hankey, was commissioned in 1828, one year before her marriage to Sir Thomas Seymour Bathurst. The picture remained in the Bathurst family until 1956.
"European Masterworks," DMA label copy, 2001.
SirThomas Lawrence, master of elegant society portraiture in late Georgian England, was particularly gifted at lively characterization and colorful dramatic composition. This portrait of Julia Hankey was likely commissioned as a betrothal image, anticipating her marriage to Lt. Colonel the Honorable Thomas Seymour Bathurst in 1829. The face is exceptionally animated, with insouciantly tilted head, parted lips, and lively eyes. Surely this element of the composition was executed directly before the sitter. The picture was delivered in 1830, shortly after Lawrence's death, and remained in the Bathurst family until its purchase in 1986. It is therefore in unusually fresh condition.
Transcribed from current wall label
Bonnie Pitman Guide:
Sir Thomas Lawrence began earning his reputation as a portraitist at the end of the eighteenth century, and in 1794 he was elected a Royal Academician. He became immensely famous after 1815, when he painted almost all the kings and rulers of Europe. Lawrence’s virtuoso brushstroke, his sensitive approach to painting women and children, and his decisive portrayals of men created a template for a generation of European portraitists to emulate. This painting exemplifies Lawrence’s fluency with the effects of light and color. Julia, later Mrs. Seymour Bathurst, was born in 1798. The daughter of John Peter Hankey, she married the fourth son of the third earl of Bathurst, and this portrait was made in 1828, some months before their marriage. The painting later decorated the dining room at Hyams, their house in Surrey.
Dorothy Kosinski, "Portrait of the Honorable Mrs. Seymour Bathurst," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 100.
Sir Thomas Lawrence, master of elegant society portraiture in late Georgian England, was particularly gifted at lively characterization and colorful dramatic composition. A precocious talent, at age eighteen he was already determined to become a portrait painter. By twenty-five he was named a full member of the Royal Academy. He attracted the patronage of the most eminent aristocratic figures of his day, and his professional success was crowned when, following the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1792, he was named Painter-in-Ordinary to the King by George III. In 1820 he succeeded Benjamin West as president of the Royal Academy.
This portrait of Julia Hankey was likely commissioned as a betrothal image in anticipation of her marriage to Thomas Seymour Bathurst in 1829. the picture, which was delivered in 1830 shortly after Lawrence's death, remained in the Bathurst family until 1956, and its condition is unusually fresh. The face is exceptionally animated, with insouciantly tilted head, lively eyes, and parted lips. Surely this element of the composition was executed directly before the sitter. The image is further enhanced with richly detailed, elegant clothes and jewels as well as a freely painted landscape background.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Lawrence, Sir Thomas (British, 1769-1830)
Cultures
Geography
Place of origin: London (England): TGN: 7011781
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- Tate, London~Learn more about the life and work of Sir Thomas Lawrence.
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC~Read a biography of Lawrence from the NGA.
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General Description
Sir Thomas Lawrence began earning his reputation as a portraitist at the end of the 18th century, and in 1794 he was elected a Royal Academician. He became immensely famous after 1815, when he painted almost all the kings and rulers of Europe. Lawrence’s virtuoso brushstroke, his sensitive approach to painting women and children, and his decisive portrayals of men created a template for a generation of European portraitists to emulate. This painting exemplifies Lawrence’s fluency with the effects of light and color. The face is exceptionally animated, with insouciantly tilted head, parted lips, and lively eyes. This portrait of Julia Hankey was likely commissioned as a betrothal image, anticipating her marriage to Lt. Colonel the Honorable Thomas Seymour Bathurst. The painting later decorated the dining room at Hyams, their house in Surrey, and remained in the Bathurst family until 1986.
Adapted from1958
- Bonnie Pitman, ed., Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2012), 181.
- Heather MacDonald, DMA label copy, 2010.
- Dorothy Kosinski, "Portrait of the Honorable Mrs. Seymour Bathurst," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 100.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- Tate, London~Learn more about the life and work of Sir Thomas Lawrence.
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC~Read a biography of Lawrence from the NGA.
Notes
Created 1828
Sir Thomas Lawrence was one of the foremost English portrait painters of his day. He succeeded Sir Joshua Reynolds as principal painter to King George III. This portrait of Julia, daughter of Peter Hankey, was commissioned in 1828, one year before her marriage to Sir Thomas Seymour Bathurst. The picture remained in the Bathurst family until 1956.
"European Masterworks," DMA label copy, 2001.
SirThomas Lawrence, master of elegant society portraiture in late Georgian England, was particularly gifted at lively characterization and colorful dramatic composition. This portrait of Julia Hankey was likely commissioned as a betrothal image, anticipating her marriage to Lt. Colonel the Honorable Thomas Seymour Bathurst in 1829. The face is exceptionally animated, with insouciantly tilted head, parted lips, and lively eyes. Surely this element of the composition was executed directly before the sitter. The picture was delivered in 1830, shortly after Lawrence's death, and remained in the Bathurst family until its purchase in 1986. It is therefore in unusually fresh condition.
Transcribed from current wall label
Bonnie Pitman Guide:
Sir Thomas Lawrence began earning his reputation as a portraitist at the end of the eighteenth century, and in 1794 he was elected a Royal Academician. He became immensely famous after 1815, when he painted almost all the kings and rulers of Europe. Lawrence’s virtuoso brushstroke, his sensitive approach to painting women and children, and his decisive portrayals of men created a template for a generation of European portraitists to emulate. This painting exemplifies Lawrence’s fluency with the effects of light and color. Julia, later Mrs. Seymour Bathurst, was born in 1798. The daughter of John Peter Hankey, she married the fourth son of the third earl of Bathurst, and this portrait was made in 1828, some months before their marriage. The painting later decorated the dining room at Hyams, their house in Surrey.
Dorothy Kosinski, "Portrait of the Honorable Mrs. Seymour Bathurst," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection, ed. Suzanne Kotz (Dallas, TX: Dallas Museum of Art, 1997), 100.
Sir Thomas Lawrence, master of elegant society portraiture in late Georgian England, was particularly gifted at lively characterization and colorful dramatic composition. A precocious talent, at age eighteen he was already determined to become a portrait painter. By twenty-five he was named a full member of the Royal Academy. He attracted the patronage of the most eminent aristocratic figures of his day, and his professional success was crowned when, following the death of Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1792, he was named Painter-in-Ordinary to the King by George III. In 1820 he succeeded Benjamin West as president of the Royal Academy.
This portrait of Julia Hankey was likely commissioned as a betrothal image in anticipation of her marriage to Thomas Seymour Bathurst in 1829. the picture, which was delivered in 1830 shortly after Lawrence's death, remained in the Bathurst family until 1956, and its condition is unusually fresh. The face is exceptionally animated, with insouciantly tilted head, lively eyes, and parted lips. Surely this element of the composition was executed directly before the sitter. The image is further enhanced with richly detailed, elegant clothes and jewels as well as a freely painted landscape background.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Lawrence, Sir Thomas (British, 1769-1830)
Cultures
Geography
Place of origin: London (England): TGN: 7011781
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
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