|
John Singleton Copley (painter) American, 1738 - 1815 Jane Browne, 1756 oil on canvas Overall: 75.6 x 62.6 cm (29 3/4 x 24 5/8 in.) framed: 89.2 x 76.5 x 5.1 cm (35 1/8 x 30 1/8 x 2 in.) Andrew W. Mellon Collection 1942.8.2 Not on View |
The eighteen-year-old Copley proudly signed and dated this picture “1756.” His sitter, Jane Browne (1734-1802), daughter of an Anglican minister from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, later married a judge, Samuel Livermore. The painted oval border and the subject’s elegant pose derive from engravings of English portraits. The awkward anatomy, however, indicates that Copley lacked formal training. Still, the young artist did carefully distinguish the textures of taffeta, lace, and beads.