Richard Cosway, R.A. (Devon 1742-1821 London)
Portrait of a lady, probably the artist's wife Maria, leaning on a chair with her hands clasped in front of her
bears inscription 'Cosway' (lower left)
pencil on laid paper
15.8 x 10cm (6 1/4 x 3 15/16in).
Footnotes:
Provenance
Sir Bruce Ingram (L.1405a)

Richard Cosway was the leading portrait miniaturist of his time; he married the Anglo-Italian Maria Hadfield (1760-1838) in 1781 and they moved to Pall Mall where they were at the heart of fashionable society and were close neighbours to George, Prince of Wales, to whom Cosway became advisor on matters of art.

The sheet is hinged to the mount along the upper edge, and there are the remains of hinges at the lower corners. The sheet is discoloured and dirty with faint acid lines from an earlier mount along the sides and lower edge. There are a few brown stains in the lower part affecting her arm, chest and shawl and some marks on the left edge near the sitter's shoulder, visible in the photograph. There are some spots elsewhere.