Paulina, First Wife of Sir Codrington Edmund Carrington

Lawrence's Paulina, First Wife of Sir Codrington Edmund Carrington (c. 1806) at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a female portrait from his middle period, showing his mature style at its most confident. The Carrington family — Sir Codrington was a colonial administrator — commissioned both a male and female portrait from Lawrence, creating a matched pair that documented a prosperous couple at the height of their social position. Lawrence's female portrait style in the 1800s combined his characteristic atmospheric painting with a psychological directness that gave his women a sense of individual presence rather than merely social statement.

Lawrence's fluid technique renders the sitter with elegant refinement. The complexion is built up with soft, translucent layers while the white dress is painted with broader strokes and brilliant highlights. The warm, atmospheric background complements the sitter's luminous presence.