A Lady called 'Miss Jones'

This portrait of an unidentified woman, traditionally called “Miss Jones,” exemplifies the anonymous gentlewomen who formed a significant portion of any portrait painter’s clientele. Painted in 1820 and now held by the National Trust, the work shows Hayter producing the kind of fashionable female portrait that sustained his practice between more prestigious commissions. The conventional title suggests the sitter’s identity was lost early in the painting’s history.

Hayter’s female portrait manner is on display: soft flesh tones, carefully rendered hair and costume, and a warm background that flatters the sitter’s complexion. The technique is polished and commercially accomplished.