Porträit of Mary Constance

Portrait of Mary Constance from 1782 dates from early in Beechey's career, before he received royal patronage. Born in Burford, Oxfordshire, Beechey trained at the Royal Academy and built his reputation through portrait commissions from the gentry before graduating to royal circles. As a full Royal Academician and royal portrait painter, Beechey occupied a central position in Georgian portraiture, providing reliable and dignified likenesses for a wide range of aristocratic, professional, and mil

The portrait demonstrates Beechey's developing portrait style, with careful attention to the sitter's features and costume rendered in a warm, flattering palette.