About this artwork
Considered one of the greatest of all English mezzotints, this print of Lady Catherine Bampfydle demonstrates precisely why artists in 18th-century Britain adopted the process in such earnest. During this time, mezzotint was primarily used to translate oil paintings into printed form rather than for original expression. This portrait of Lady Bampfydle exemplifies the delicate uses of half tones to convey rich texture and depth. Reynolds’s model contributes its witty adaptation in reverse of the famous antique Venus de’ Medici. Though fully clothed (unlike the sculpture), this society Venus languidly gestures as if to cover herself from prying eyes.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Thomas Watson
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Title
- Catherine, Lady Bampfylde
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Place
- England (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1763–1781
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Medium
- Mezzotint on laid ivory paper
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Dimensions
- Image: 59.9 × 37.8 cm (23 5/8 × 14 15/16 in.); Plate: 63.8 × 37.9 cm (25 1/8 × 14 15/16 in.); Sheet: 65.1 × 41.2 cm (25 11/16 × 16 1/4 in.)
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Credit Line
- William McCallin McKee Memorial Endowment
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Reference Number
- 1938.62
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/26781/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
