Catherine, Lady Bampfylde
Medium
mezzotint
Dimensions
sheet: 65.1 × 41.9 cm (25 5/8 × 16 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.8361
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of 18th-century British portraiture with *Catherine, Lady Bampfylde*, a stunning mezzotint created by Thomas Watson in 1779 after an original painting by Sir Joshua. Reynolds, the preeminent portraitist of his era and founder of the Royal Academy of Arts, captured the poise and refinement of Lady Bampfy, a member of the aristocracy, in a style blending classical grandeur with intimate realism. Watson's print faithfully reproduces this vision, making Reynolds' masterful likeness accessible beyond elite patrons. Mezzotint, the chosen medium, revolutionized printmakin...