Portrait of a Lady

This portrait is marked by its loose brushwork, which creates a sense of hazy nostalgia. Despite the loose strokes, the level of detail in this portrait is readily apparent. The sitter’s cheeks are bright and rosy, and the smile that plays on her lips also causes her eyes to crease slightly. Her soft curls, rendered in brown and auburn tones, are styled with a headband that pulls her hair away from her face and lets it cascade down her shoulders. The lady wears a yellow dress with gold trims reminiscent of Classical Greek clothing, with the folds and texture of the dress beautifully rendered by the artist. There is an elegance to the sitter, as well as a sense of playfulness and joy. 

John Westbrooke Chandler

Born in 1763, John Westbrooke Chandler was the illegitimate son of George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick. At the age of 21, he joined the Royal Academy School and exhibited many his his portraits at the Royal Academy shows. His natural father was a keen patron of his, and allowed him to utilise rooms at Warwick Castle for his studios.

In 1800, he moved to Scotland, settling first in Aberdeenshire and then Edinburgh. He completed many portraits in Scotland, as well as the ballad ‘Sir Hubert’, but was also have known to become increasingly depressed and melancholic during his time in the country, during which he allegedly attempted suicide. This sparked the false claim that Chandler had died in a mental institution - instead, he moved to Stroud in Gloucestershire, and continued painting portraits for patrons in that area until his death in 1807.

Chandler’s works influenced many of the leading portraitists of his time, including John Hoppner, Thomas Lawrence, and Joshua Reynolds. 

We extend our thanks to Adam Busiakiewicz for his help in identifying the artist of this work.