 Picture origin: George Romney (1734-1802) with the Reynolds and Gainsborough, forms the trio of great portraitists of the "Golden Age" of English art. Born in Lancashire, the son of a cabinetmaker, Romney began his art training as apprentice to an itinerant portrait painter. Extremely successful and financially well rewarded as a society portraitist, Romney was an unsociable, gloomy, and introspective man. Romney's technique is soft and flowing and gives the effect of an easy naturalness; his palette is varied, ranging from soft pastels and golden creams to warm browns, and glowing reds, and rich blues, his compositions are quite classically arranged. Miss. Willoughby, 1781 The daughter of Sir Christopher Willoughby, Juliana stands as seriously, and with as much poise, as a great lady or a figure from classical sculpture. She is posed with the tilted head of a Raphael madonna, a similarity made more noticeable by the "halo" formed by her sunbonnet. Colors are soft; creamy white, pale flesh tints, a slightly deeper pink for ribbons and sash, a softly golden hillside, a hazy blue sky. Here Romney's "grand" manner is eminently successful, for the posing is not obtrusive and Juliana, for all her dignity, remains a little girl.          Back to Graphics Page Back to Ethan's Page |
