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拍品專文
This charming portrait, executed in broad brush stokes can be dated to the 1780s on stylistic grounds. It is clearly a society portrait and, given her white dress, it is likely that it was painted shortly before or at the time of the sitter's marriage. The pencil and sketch-book to her left give us a further hint as to her character. However, despite these indications, the sitter's identity remains unknown. She has previously been mis-named as both Mrs Chafin Grove and Mary Linley, first wife of the playwright Richard Tickell, but neither of these identities holds up to scrutiny.
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The painting presents very well in natural light, with the bravura approach to paint application well preserved and the grace of the composition fully appreciable. The canvas has been subject to relining; it is held under tension and remains stable. There has been some slight thinning to the paint surface as a result of this process. In a raking light there is some evidence of heat damage in the darker passages of the background. There is a fine pattern of craquelure across the surface with associated retouching. The paint remains stable. Examination under UV light confirms the aforementioned retouchings. There is a repaired tear to the sitter's sash, with associated retouchings in the area. There is some further minor scattered retouching. A cloudy varnish precludes further examination of the background.