DOI Heft:
No. 261 (December 1914)
DOI Artikel:Williamson, George Charles: Miniatures in the Pierpont Morgan collection, [2], Two sketches by Frances Reynolds
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21211#0184
Miniatures in the Pierpont Morgan Collection
by Frances Reynolds and dated 1773, in which and me cry," but, on the other hand, Northcote
year Sir Joshua exhibited at the Royal Academy stated that, " she paints very fine, both history and
the picture called A Strawberry Girl, which portraits."
Horace Walpole declared was " charming." Lord There are very few of her signed miniature copies
Lansdowne's picture was painted in 1773, and was of her brother's work in existence ; I personally
sold to Lord Carysfort for fifty guineas, and then am only aware of the existence of two or three
passed into the possession of the family of its beside the two now under consideration. These
present owner. It was engraved by T. Watson. came through the Bullock collection at Hands-
Here again we have an interesting opportunity of worth, from the family of a person in the Midland
knowing what the picture was like when Reynolds counties, whose ancestor had been a personal
first completed it, and what was its original colour- servant to Frances Reynolds, and it was stated
ing before the light had commenced to affect that that these two drawings were a gift to her from her
colouring in any respect. The face in this picture mistress. They passed into the possession of a
was painted, as is well known, from that of Offy, dealer in Birmingham, who sent them up to Mr.
the second daughter of Reynolds' sister, Mary Morgan, and although the price demanded for
Palmer, who afterwards became Mrs. Gwatkin. them was a considerable one, he was very glad to
Frances Reynolds was Sir Joshua's youngest secure them, and he was especially pleased to
sister. She was born in 1729 and died in 1807. possess The Link Boy as being the first sketch for
She kept Sir Joshua's house for many years when one of his favourite pictures,
he came to London, but her temperament was not George C. Williamson.
congenial to her brother, and
when her nieces, the Misses
Palmer, were old enough to
take her place, she left his
house and never returned,
the separation causing her a
lasting regret. We do not
know exactly when she took
a house by herself, but it
was before February 15,
1779. For awhile she lived
in Devonshire, then she went
to stay with a Miss Flint in
Paris, where the President
visited her. She afterwards
lived as his lodger at the
house of Dr. John Hoole,
then went to Dover Street,
where Dr. Johnson fre-
quently visited her; and
after her brother's death, in
1792, she took a large house
in Queen's Square, Westmin-
ster, where she eventually
died.
She is known to have made
a good many copies in minia-
ture of the pictures painted
by her brother, and there
wras a strong divergence of
opinion concerning the merit
of these particular copies.
Sir Joshua said that "they "cupid as a link boy" (1776) by sir joshua Reynolds
ma0 „tu„ nmn.0 i„„„u (Original painting in the Pierpont Morgan Collection. Reproduced by permission
maKe °tner Pe0Ple laugn, of the late owner from a photograph supplied by him) '
180
by Frances Reynolds and dated 1773, in which and me cry," but, on the other hand, Northcote
year Sir Joshua exhibited at the Royal Academy stated that, " she paints very fine, both history and
the picture called A Strawberry Girl, which portraits."
Horace Walpole declared was " charming." Lord There are very few of her signed miniature copies
Lansdowne's picture was painted in 1773, and was of her brother's work in existence ; I personally
sold to Lord Carysfort for fifty guineas, and then am only aware of the existence of two or three
passed into the possession of the family of its beside the two now under consideration. These
present owner. It was engraved by T. Watson. came through the Bullock collection at Hands-
Here again we have an interesting opportunity of worth, from the family of a person in the Midland
knowing what the picture was like when Reynolds counties, whose ancestor had been a personal
first completed it, and what was its original colour- servant to Frances Reynolds, and it was stated
ing before the light had commenced to affect that that these two drawings were a gift to her from her
colouring in any respect. The face in this picture mistress. They passed into the possession of a
was painted, as is well known, from that of Offy, dealer in Birmingham, who sent them up to Mr.
the second daughter of Reynolds' sister, Mary Morgan, and although the price demanded for
Palmer, who afterwards became Mrs. Gwatkin. them was a considerable one, he was very glad to
Frances Reynolds was Sir Joshua's youngest secure them, and he was especially pleased to
sister. She was born in 1729 and died in 1807. possess The Link Boy as being the first sketch for
She kept Sir Joshua's house for many years when one of his favourite pictures,
he came to London, but her temperament was not George C. Williamson.
congenial to her brother, and
when her nieces, the Misses
Palmer, were old enough to
take her place, she left his
house and never returned,
the separation causing her a
lasting regret. We do not
know exactly when she took
a house by herself, but it
was before February 15,
1779. For awhile she lived
in Devonshire, then she went
to stay with a Miss Flint in
Paris, where the President
visited her. She afterwards
lived as his lodger at the
house of Dr. John Hoole,
then went to Dover Street,
where Dr. Johnson fre-
quently visited her; and
after her brother's death, in
1792, she took a large house
in Queen's Square, Westmin-
ster, where she eventually
died.
She is known to have made
a good many copies in minia-
ture of the pictures painted
by her brother, and there
wras a strong divergence of
opinion concerning the merit
of these particular copies.
Sir Joshua said that "they "cupid as a link boy" (1776) by sir joshua Reynolds
ma0 „tu„ nmn.0 i„„„u (Original painting in the Pierpont Morgan Collection. Reproduced by permission
maKe °tner Pe0Ple laugn, of the late owner from a photograph supplied by him) '
180