Portrait of Mrs. Grove

Portrait of Mrs. Grove from 1788 by Romney represents his mature portrait style, capturing the sitter with the graceful economy that distinguished his approach from the more elaborate manner of Reynolds. Romney's oil handling was distinguished by fluid, rapidly applied strokes and an instinctive sense of elegant silhouette, producing portraits of apparent effortlessness that concealed careful preparatory drawing. self-taught provincial who became London's most fashionable portraitist alongside Reynolds and Gainsborough.

Romney's fluid brushwork and warm coloring create an image of composed feminine elegance, the simple composition focusing attention on the sitter's character.