Mirth and Melancholy (Miss Wallis, afterwards Mrs James Campbell, fl.1789-1814)

Dating to 1788, the portrait demonstrates the conventions of eighteenth-century portraiture during the Enlightenment era. George Romney, one of the three great English portrait painters of the later eighteenth century alongside Reynolds and Gainsborough, brings luminous complexions to the depiction of the sitter. Characteristic of the artist's mature approach, the work displays graceful, luminous portraiture with fluid drapery, classical idealization informed by his Italian journey (1773–75), expressive but controlled characterization.

Oil on canvas, the portrait demonstrates George Romney's command of elegant simplicity and restrained palette. The careful modeling of the face reveals close study of the sitter's physiognomy, while the treatment of costume and setting projects appropriate social standing.