Lady Catherine Pelham Clinton

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

Joshua Reynolds was the dominant artistic personality during the age of George III. He was born in Plympton, Devon. From 1750 to 1752 he studied the work of the Old Masters in Rome. Reynolds returned via Florence and Paris, and settled in London in 1753. In 1759 he painted a portrait of the future king, George, Prince of Wales (Royal Collection). After George’s accession the following year, Reynolds was dismayed to learn that Allan Ramsay had been made Principal Painter to the King. This marked the beginning of increasing hostility between Reynolds and the King. Nonetheless, by 1760 Reynolds had established himself as the leading portraitist. He became President of the Royal Academy in 1768 and was knighted the following year.
Printmaker and publisher John Raphael Smith is best known for his mezzotints. He was born in Derby and apprenticed to a linen draper. He began his artistic career painting miniatures and engraved his first mezzotint in 1769. In 1784 he became Mezzotint Engraver to the Prince of Wales. Smith produced thousands of prints during his career, which he distributed throughout the UK and to St Petersburg, Milan and Paris. However, after the French Revolution caused a decline in exports, he opened the Morland Gallery in King Street, Covent Garden, initially producing 36 prints after works by George Morland. Smith spent his final years travelling throughout Yorkshire, in response to commissions for pastel portraits. He died in Doncaster, aged c.61.

People

née Pelham-Clinton), Catherine, Countess of Radnor Pleydell-Bouverie (1776 - 1804)

Places

Subjects

female portrait, landscape C18th, tree, chicken, girl, 18th century costume

Materials & Techniques

mezzotint

Artist

Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723 - 1792)
John Raphael Smith (1752 - 1812)

Title

Lady Catherine Pelham Clinton

Date

published 1 February 1782

Medium

Mezzotint

Acquisition

Purchased from Colnaghi, March 1973

GAC number

10044