Follower of Reverend Matthew William Peters, R.A.

The panel is flat and stable. The painting is in good overall condition. The paint surface is stable with some surface accretion including the residue from an old label in the upper left hand corner measuring approximately 1 by 1 ½ in. There are minor losses and scuffs along all four margins as a result of frame abrasion. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals an uneven varnish and a handful of scattered minor retouchings, in the sitter’s hair and clothing. Offered in a carved and gesso gilt wood frame with some minor chips and losses.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Miss Mortimer was the sister of the artist John Hamilton Mortimer, a close friend of Peters' who had studied with him in Hudson's studio. The daughter of Zeus and the Greek goddess of youth, Hebe was a popular subject in art in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, particularly as a female personification in portraiture, and even some of the most aristocratic of models allowed for a degree of nudity, such as the exposing of a single breast. Here Miss Mortimer has allowed herself to be portrayed with both breasts exposed, feeding her father Zeus in the guise of an eagle - a representation of eternal youth. In classical mythology the eagle, like the phoenix, was believed to have the ability to renew itself to a youthful state.

The prime version of this portrait, on canvas, was sold in these rooms, 24 November 1999, lot 56 (Private Collection). That painting, which has slight variations in the composition, was engraved by John Raphael Smith and published in June 1779. The print was a huge commercial success and as a result this image became one of the artist's most celebrated compositions. Another version, catalogued as being 35 x 27 1/2  in. was sold at Christie's, 15 April 1912, for £30.9s to Turner, though no mention was given of the medium.