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unknown artist, English School
Woman’s Head in an Oval
around 1780s

The sitter remains unidentified, but the elevated hairstyle, long neck, and elegant poise echo the sophisticated sitters depicted by Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) late in his career. Likely an independent work of art, this drawing marks the proliferation of Gainsborough’s style in the late 18th century. It also evokes the origins of pastel portraiture in southern Europe and its popularity in England under John Russell (1745-1806).

 
unknown artist, English School
Woman’s Head in an Oval
around 1780s
coloured chalks on paper
23.5 x 15.9 cm
Gift of Gerald and Helen Finley, 2015
58-018.06

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