Mrs. Davies Davenport
George Romney·1782-1784
Historical Context
Romney's group portraits demonstrate his ability to organize multiple figures in natural, psychologically convincing relationships within the formal conventions of the English conversation piece and the grand portrait tradition. His double and group portraits of women, children, and families combine careful attention to individual characterization with compositional intelligence that creates images of genuine social relationship rather than merely assembled individual portraits. The challenge of maintaining psychological coherence across multiple figures while satisfying the portrait function of individual documentation was one that his best group works solved with apparent ease.
Technical Analysis
Romney's confident technique renders the sitter with luminous, pearly flesh tones and a warm, harmonious palette. The composition is elegantly spare, with the figure's graceful pose and the flowing lines of the dress creating a sense of natural movement. The background is kept deliberately simple to focus attention on the sitter.
Provenance
Painted for the sitter's husband, Davies Davenport [1757-1837], Capesthorne, Macclesfield, Cheshire; by descent to Sir William Bromley-Davenport [1862-1949];[1] (sale, Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 28 July 1926, no. 147); (Duveen Brothers, Inc. London, New York, and Paris); purchased April 1928 by Andrew W. Mellon, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.; deeded December 1934 to The A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, Pittsburgh; gift 1937 to NGA. [1] The additions of "Davenport family" and William Bromley-Davenport to the former owner table in the NGA collection database are per The Getty Provenance Index, and NGA curatorial files. The Getty Provenance Index, whose source was their Collector's File, says the painting was bequeathed to the third son of Davies Davenport, The Rev. Walter Bromley-Davenport [1787-1862], and by him to his son, William Bromley-Davenport [1821-1884], who succeeded his cousin, Arthur Henry Davenport [1832-1867]. Davies Davenport's eldest son and successor in the family estate was Edward Davies Davenport [1778-1847], father of Arthur Henry. It is thus also possible that the painting was passed through Edward down to Sir William Bromley-Davenport.
_MET_DP169401.jpg&width=600)
