George Nassau Clavering-Cowper (1738–1789), 3rd Earl Cowper

This portrait of George Nassau Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper, from around 1772 by Johann Zoffany was likely painted during the earl's time in Florence, where both the sitter and the artist moved in expatriate circles. The Earl Cowper was a notable collector who lived much of his life in Italy. Zoffany's oil technique achieved exceptional textural fidelity in the rendering of fabrics, scientific instruments, and domestic interiors, combining Flemish-inspired precision with a natural...

The aristocratic portrait demonstrates Zoffany's mastery of the grand manner adapted to the more intimate scale he preferred, with precise rendering of features and costume.