Lady Elizabeth Stanley (1753–1797), Countess of Derby
1776–78
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
50 x 40 in. (127 x 101.6 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jules Bache Collection, 1949
Accession Number
49.7.57
Tags
About this artwork
This paintings exemplifies the artistic traditions of its period. Created 1776–78, it demonstrates the oil on canvas technique characteristic of its era.
Art Historical Context
George Romney's portrait of *Lady Elizabeth Stanley, Countess of Derby* (1776–78) captures the elegance of late 18th-century British aristocracy. Painted in oil on canvas—a medium favored for its rich depth and luminous effects— this 50 x 40-inch work showcases Romney's mastery as one of England's leading portraitists, rivaling Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. Lady Elizabeth, born in 1753 and later married into the prominent Stanley family, is depicted with the poise and refinement typical of the era's high society, exemplifying the Grand Manner style that elevated sitters to near-myth...
About the Artist
George Romney · 1734–1802
George Romney (1734–1802) was a British portrait painter who, alongside Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough, formed the triumvirate of great English portraitists in the second half of the eighteenth century. Born in Dalton-in-Furness, Lancashire, he received his early training from the itinerant portrait painter Christopher Steele before moving to London in 1762. Romney quickly establishe...