SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS P.R.A. | PORTRAIT OF A LADY, PROBABLY MISS JANE ASHTON, HALF LENGTH, IN A BLUE DRESS WITH WHITE LACE CUFFS

Reverend John Francis Ashton;

By whom sold ("Property of the Rev. John Francis Ashton"), London, Christie's, 7 June 1918, lot 107 (as Miss Jane Ashton);

There acquired by Arthur Tooth, London;

Possibly with Leggatt, London, by 1921 (probably only for cleaning);

Possibly anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 13 April 1923, lot 38 (as Miss Jane Ashton and where likely unsold);

The Arthur Tooth Collection sale ("The Collection of the Late Arthur Tooth"), New York, American Art Association, 19 February 1925, lot 30 (as Miss Jane Ashton);

There acquired by Mrs. J. W. Loring;

Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 5 October 2004, lot 81;

There acquired.

A. Graves and W.V. Cronin, A History of the Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, London 1899-1901, volume I, p. 37 (as Miss Ashton);

E.K. Waterhouse, Reynolds, London 1941, pp. 41 (as Miss Jane Ashton and formerly with Mssrs. Leggatt, London);

D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds, A Complete Catalogue of his Paintings, New Haven and London 2000, vol. I, p. 67, cat. no. 81, reproduced vol. II, p. 204, fig. 256. 

David Mannings dates this painting to 1757 (see Literature) and notes that it shares stylistic affinities with Reynolds's Portrait of Mrs. James Fortescue in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight.¹ Although the identity of this sitter is not securely identified, Miss Ashton had appointments with Reynolds for May and June 1757 according to the artist's pocket book.

1. Oil on canvas, 76 by 63.5 cm., inv. no. LL 3541.