GEORGE ROMNEY | Portrait of Mary Wilson (1746–1820), half length, wearing a green dress

Probably commissioned by Dr Ainslie, the sitter's future brother-in-law;
By descent to the Reverend L.W. Greenshields;
From whom acquired by Agnew, 1937 (incorrectly identified as Elizabeth Wilson);
From whom acquired by H.G. Clifford-Turner, 1938;
Anonymous sale ('The Property of a Gentleman'), London, Sotheby's, 6 July 1983, lot 237, for £6,500;
With Thomas Agnew & Sons Ltd., London, 1984;
From whom acquired for a private collection, London.

London, Thomas Agnew & Sons Ltd., The Heroic Age: an exhibition of British painting including works by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Raeburn, and on special display J.M.W. Turner's 'Landscape with Walton bridges', 6 June–3 August 1984, no. 13.

A. Kidson, George Romney: A Complete Catalogue of His Paintings, vol. II, New Haven/London 2015, p. 641, cat. no. 1432, reproduced (as untraced, and correctly identified as Mary Wilson).

The following condition report is provided by Henry Gentle who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: George Romney Portrait of Mary Wilson Oil on canvas, in a period gilt frame with minor chips The original canvas is lined. The lining is approximately 80-100 years old. The tension remains good and there are no tears or deformations. The paint layer is in a very good original condition with preserved paint texture. Under u-v lighting recent re-touching can be detected on the sitter's face and neck to reduce dark shrinkage cracks only. No other restoration is apparent. There is no tonal advantage from removing the varnish although applying a new varnish will significantly improve the saturation of the paint layer and reveal pigments that retain their vibrancy. The painting is in an exceptional state of preservation and bears no indication of any previous detrimental conservation intervention.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Dating from around Romney's second trip the north-west of England in 1767–68, this highly refined portrait is included in the artist's 'north-western sitters' notebook of that date. Mary is mentioned as 'Miss Wilson' directly under the names of her parents, Henry and Elizabeth (née Greenbank of Carnforth) of Over Kellett. The portrait had remained with its pendant, a portrait of Mary's younger sister, Elizabeth,¹ until the Sotheby's sale in 1983. At this sale, the two pictures were catalogued the wrong way round, an error dating from their ownership by Agnew's in 1937. However, old photographs of the two portraits in Ainslie family ownership identify Mary as the sitter in green, and her sister Elizabeth as wearing a yellow dress.

¹ Kidson 2015, p. 640, no. 1431, reproduced in colour p. 641 (as untraced, and correctly identified as Elizabeth Wilson).