Isabella Anne Hutchinson, Mrs Jens Wolff (?1771-1829)

Isabella Anne Hutchinson married Jens Wolff, a Danish-born merchant who was one of Lawrence's most intimate friends — a relationship that gave Lawrence unusual access to Wolff's household and allowed him to paint his subjects with exceptional psychological candor rather than commissioned formality. Painted around 1803, this portrait belongs to the middle of Lawrence's career, after he had survived the personal and financial crises of the 1790s and was re-establishing himself as the preeminent portraitist in Regency Britain. His technique at this period had matured considerably: the brushwork in the face is more concentrated and controlled than his youthful bravura pieces, while his handling of dress and background retained the spontaneous energy that distinguished his work from the more labored finish of John Hoppner and Martin Archer Shee. The intimate domestic scale of this commission contrasts with the grand full-length aristocratic portraits that dominated Lawrence's exhibition work, revealing his ability to adapt his gifts to the more restrained requirements of the professional middle classes who constituted a significant portion of his clientele.

Lawrence builds the sitter's face through layers of translucent glazes over a warm ground, creating an effect of inner radiance. The handling of hair and dress is characteristic — loose and suggestive rather than tightly finished, giving the portrait a sense of living presence.