Allan Ramsay and Studio

oil on canvas;

Circa 1752-1753.

By family descent to the previous owner;
By whom sold, London, Sotheby's, 14 July 1999, lot 75 (as Allan Ramsay).

Manchester Manchester City Art Gallery, 'Exhibition of Works of Art from Private Collections in the North West and North Wales', 1960, no. 112 (lent by Sir Michael Leighton).

A. Smart, Allan Ramsay, 'A Complete Catalogue of His Paintings', New Haven and London 1999, p. 147, cat. no. 316a (as a largely autograph version).

The canvas appears to be lined. Underneath an old varnish, an elegant image reads well with some of its details well preserved as with the luminescence of the pearls and silk. There are stretcher bar marks along the edges, though these are not too distracting. An old repair is visible just below the top right corner. Some very minor loss of pigment is on the bottom left corner, and an even smaller pin dot of loss is on the gown's skirt at center right. Inspection under UV is difficult to read because of the varnish, though there appears to be some finely applied in laid paint to the craquelure. Further reading reveals what could have possibly been an old repair at right of the sitter's head. The painting is offered in an ornately decorated and gilded wooden frame.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

Though sold as 'Portrait of Lettice Leighton', daughter of Sir Edward Leighton, 1st Bt. of Wattlesborough, in 1999 (see Provenance), the identity of the subject in this portrait is uncertain. Other possibilities include Anne Leighton, her sister, or Renea Leighton, the wife of Francis Leighton.