DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61252#0373
LANSDOWNE COLLECTION.
329
159 Portrait of an Infant, seated, in a landscape. The two
little hands crossed in front, with a most ponderous head
and expression. (Of this picture, Sir Joshua said that he
intended it to represent Dr. Johnson when a year old.
One can imagine him something like it at that age.)
160 The Portrait of Mrs. Baldwin—wife of the British Consul
at Smyrna. Seated on cushions in the eastern fashion,
and habited in the Greek costume. She is contemplating
a miniature. Mrs. Baldwin was a favourite model for
painters, while she was in England; Cosway painted her
as a Greek dancing girl.* This picture was painted by
Sir Joshua for himself. At the sale of his pictures it
was bought by Phillips, the portrait painter and academi-
cian, as a study of colour, and purchased from him by Lord
Lansdowne. B.
161 Portrait of Mrs. Sheridan—(Maria Linley) as St. Cecilia.
This “ beautiful mother of a beautiful race” is seated at an
organ; the face is seen in profile. The portrait is exquisite,
both in itself and as a painting; but there is, I think, a
want of harmony between the countenance and the action.
She is represented, not as singing, but as accompanying the
cherubs which are chanting at her side;f she is neither
“ touched nor rapt, nor kindled nor inspired;” but melan-
choly, as if absorbed by a tender reverie, excited by the
music, to which she has forgotten to listen. The clouds,
with the glory darting from them, appear to me an intru-
sion, and the line down the back is faulty—too straight.
The colouring, on the other hand, is quite Venetian in
its mingled sobriety and richness; and for sentiment and
interest, I know not a more beautiful portrait. Of Mrs.
Sheridan it was once said, that “ she was half-way between
the woman and the angel.” This heavenly countenance,
in its purity and tenderness, justifies the expression. The
picture was painted for Sheridan : at his death it was at a
pawnbroker’s. During the short time Sheridan was in
office, in 1806, he gave a dinner, and this picture being at
that time pawned or mortgaged, was redeemed for that
* Engraved by Bartolozzi.
t Portraits, it is said, of two sisters, the Miss Purdons.
329
159 Portrait of an Infant, seated, in a landscape. The two
little hands crossed in front, with a most ponderous head
and expression. (Of this picture, Sir Joshua said that he
intended it to represent Dr. Johnson when a year old.
One can imagine him something like it at that age.)
160 The Portrait of Mrs. Baldwin—wife of the British Consul
at Smyrna. Seated on cushions in the eastern fashion,
and habited in the Greek costume. She is contemplating
a miniature. Mrs. Baldwin was a favourite model for
painters, while she was in England; Cosway painted her
as a Greek dancing girl.* This picture was painted by
Sir Joshua for himself. At the sale of his pictures it
was bought by Phillips, the portrait painter and academi-
cian, as a study of colour, and purchased from him by Lord
Lansdowne. B.
161 Portrait of Mrs. Sheridan—(Maria Linley) as St. Cecilia.
This “ beautiful mother of a beautiful race” is seated at an
organ; the face is seen in profile. The portrait is exquisite,
both in itself and as a painting; but there is, I think, a
want of harmony between the countenance and the action.
She is represented, not as singing, but as accompanying the
cherubs which are chanting at her side;f she is neither
“ touched nor rapt, nor kindled nor inspired;” but melan-
choly, as if absorbed by a tender reverie, excited by the
music, to which she has forgotten to listen. The clouds,
with the glory darting from them, appear to me an intru-
sion, and the line down the back is faulty—too straight.
The colouring, on the other hand, is quite Venetian in
its mingled sobriety and richness; and for sentiment and
interest, I know not a more beautiful portrait. Of Mrs.
Sheridan it was once said, that “ she was half-way between
the woman and the angel.” This heavenly countenance,
in its purity and tenderness, justifies the expression. The
picture was painted for Sheridan : at his death it was at a
pawnbroker’s. During the short time Sheridan was in
office, in 1806, he gave a dinner, and this picture being at
that time pawned or mortgaged, was redeemed for that
* Engraved by Bartolozzi.
t Portraits, it is said, of two sisters, the Miss Purdons.