Lot 41
  • 41

George Romney 1734-1802

bidding is closed

Description

  • George Romney
  • Portrait of Mary Thomas, Mrs. William Lutwyche (1752-1845)
  • oil on canvas, in a carved wood frame
Three-quarter length, seated, wearing a cream and pink dress, with a black shawl, holding a book

Provenance

By descent from the sitter to Mrs Hippisley, her great-great niece;
Thence by descent to John Hippisley, his sale, Christie's, 14th December 1956, lot 23, bt. Bellesi for 750gns;
Kimbell Art Foundation, Fort Worth, their sale, Sotheby's, New York, 20th April, 1983, lot 54, bt. French and Company for $12,500 

Exhibited

Grafton Gallery, Romney Exhibition, 1901, no.48 (lent by Mrs Hippisley, great great niece of the sitter)

Literature

Humphrey Ward and W. Roberts, Romney, 1904, Vol.II, p. 97 

Catalogue Note

The sitter was the only daughter of Sir Noah Thomas (1720-1792), physician to George III.  In October 1776 she married Captain William Lutwyche of Lutwyche Hall, Shropshire. She died in Bath on 22nd February 1845, aged ninety-three. Sittings for her portrait are recorded in 1782. Her father was painted by Romney the previous year and his portrait now hangs at St John's College, Cambridge.