Wistful

Wearing a pale blue décolleté dress with a grey and yellow striped underslip, this lady has a wistful expression. Her powdered hair hangs in long curls and is decorated with a blue feather and a rope of pearls.

Painted during the 1770s, the portrait is attributed to the hand of Scottish artist, John Donaldson. The son of a glover, Donaldson drifted from painting china into portraiture winning early recognition and important prizes from the Society of Arts. After only a few years, however, he developed a fascination for chemistry and spent his money on experiments that invariably failed. He also lost money publishing a volume of poetry that failed to sell. To these eccentricities, he added radical politics that made him enemies in turn leading him into deep poverty. And yet he had unquestionable artistic talent!

The portrait is set in the original navette-shaped gold frame. Apart from dust under the glass, the portrait and the frame are in good condition.