Portrait of a Lady (probably the wife of the artist )
This portrait and the self portrait of the artist in his studio (5/1963/7) originally formed a single composition. It is likely that Hayman was responsible for their separation since the self-portrait is finished whilst Portrait of a Lady is not. The sitter is believed to be Elizabeth Spurway, Hayman’s first wife. They married in 1734 and had a child the following year who died in infancy. Evidence suggests that Elizabeth may also have died young. The artist’s motivation for dividing his painting may have been bereavement rather than estrangement. This half of the work was discovered in the USA.
Purchased with assistance from the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of RAMM, 2007
Purchased with assistance from the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of RAMM, 2007
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- 241/2007
- Category
- Fine Art
- Collection Class
- Paintings
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Common Name
- Portrait of a Lady (probably the wife of the artist )
- Simple Name
- painting
- Period Classification
- George II (1727-1760)
- Production Town
- London
- Production Country
- United Kingdom: England
- Production Date
- c 1734
- Production Person Initials
- Francis
- Production Person Surname
- Hayman
- Production Year Low
- 1734
- Production Year High
- 1735