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G0291
Paintings: G0291
Title
Elizabeth Hartley
Technique
Oil on canvas
Subject
Character
Hermione : The Winter's Tale
Artist
Dimensions
Height: 204.2cm
Width: 130.8cm
height (frame): 220cm
width (frame): 145cm
Width: 130.8cm
height (frame): 220cm
width (frame): 145cm
Provenance
Thomas Harris; Harris sale, Robins 12 July 1819 (49) "Mrs. Hartley, as Hermione in the Statue-Scene, original by / Sir J Reynolds"; Charles Mathews
Other number
Mathews 75 (no character)
RW/CKA 438 (no character)
RW/CKA 438 (no character)
Exhibition history
1833 London, Queen's Bazaar, Oxford Street, "Mr Mathews's Gallery of Theatrical Portraits" (75)
Literature
Patmore (p. 273) mentions two portraits of Mrs Hartley. The other was No. 71 in the Mathews catalogue showing her in “The Distrest Mother”, a drawing by Sherwin. It may have been sold in 1835 and was not in the Garrick Club collection when the 1909 catalogue was compiled; Lady Victoria Manners and Dr. G. C. Williamson “Angelica Kauffmann R. A. Her Life and Her Work” (1924), p. 190
Hermione poses in neo-classical splendour, with her right hand raised in an elegant gesture, with her elbow resting on a pedestal. She wears a gold tiara and a long white dress of classical design; the long white sleeves are pulled up at the elbows with gold bands decorated with green and red stones.
Mrs Hartley played Hermione only once, at Covent Garden on 12 March 1774. There are also two prints of her in the role, in the statue scene. On 11 March 1779 at Drury Lane she recited a monody on the death of Garrick, appearing as the Tragic Muse in a repetition of the statue scene in “The Winter's Tale”. The cupid on the stone pedestal to the left is similar to another cupid by Angelica Kauffmann, engraved by C. A. Porporati in 1790.
Mrs Hartley played Hermione only once, at Covent Garden on 12 March 1774. There are also two prints of her in the role, in the statue scene. On 11 March 1779 at Drury Lane she recited a monody on the death of Garrick, appearing as the Tragic Muse in a repetition of the statue scene in “The Winter's Tale”. The cupid on the stone pedestal to the left is similar to another cupid by Angelica Kauffmann, engraved by C. A. Porporati in 1790.
