Rebecca Singleton

Rebecca Singleton, painted around 1840 and now in York Art Gallery, is a portrait of a member of Etty's Yorkshire acquaintance. The painting demonstrates Etty's portraiture abilities applied to a female sitter, rendered with the warm coloring and sympathetic characterization that distinguished his best portraits. While portraiture was not the primary focus of Etty's career, his Venetian-influenced palette brought a richness and vitality to these commissions that set them apart from the more formulaic approach common in Victorian portrait painting. York Art Gallery preserves these portraits as documents of both Etty's artistic practice and the social world of his Yorkshire connections.

The painting showcases William Etty's robust modeling, with sensuous flesh painting lending the work its distinctive character. The palette and brushwork are calibrated to serve the subject matter, demonstrating the technical command expected of a work from this period.