Sir William Beechey, R.A.

Anonymous sale, New York, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 2 December 1976, lot 85;

Thereafter acquired by the present collector.

Sir William Beechey studied under Johan Zoffany at the Royal Academy in the 1770s, and he also drew inspiration from the elegant portraiture of Sir Joshua Reynolds. Beechey's style earned him the attention of the Royal Family: he became court painter to Queen Charlotte in 1793 and was knighted by King George III in 1798 for his impressive double portrait of the King and the Prince of Wales. Beechey would go on to work for Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester, and at the end of his career was portraitist to King William IV.

Though the identity of the sitter in this portrait remains unknown, her unusual costume and accessories suggest that she was likely an established singer or actress. Evidenced by records in the artist's account books, Beechey was fond of depicting thespians in character. His theatrical portraits of famous contemporary celebrities including Sarah Siddons and Dorothy Jordan rank among his most celebrated works.