Thomas Bardwell (1704 - 1767) - Portrait of a lady in a yellow silk dress robe de soie jaune

Portrait of a lady, seated three-quarter-length, in a yellow silk dress trimmed with lace, leaning upon a marbled topped table, beside an open door with an extensive landscape beyond.

The elegant sitter shimmers in the highly fashionable brightly coloured silk clothing of the period. Her yellow silk full skirted dress is trimmed in lace and her costume has a low and wide neckline that reveals her décolletage. In one hand she holds a book and she gazes off away from the viewer with the most sensitive of expressions.. as if lost in thought.

The 18th century is often considered the period when the novel truly established itself as a major literary genre. Authors like Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson, Henry Feilding and Laurence Sterne were instrumental in shaping the novel's development, experimenting with new narrative techniques and exploring diverse themes. There was a revolution in reading, as the intensive and repeated reading of a limited number of books was replaced by more extensive reading habits, with a large number of books being devoured just once.

Thomas Bardwell (1704-1767) Thomas Bardwell was a painter and writer. He began his career as a painter of decorative panels. In around 1738 his brother Robert Bardwell took over the family decorative painting business, which was based at Bungay, Suffolk; by then Bardwell was producing conversation pieces and portraits. In the 1740s and 1750s Bardwell visited London and painted several portraits there. In 1752 and 1753 he journeyed through Yorkshire to Scotland, carrying out a large number of commissions. From 1759 Bardwell was based in Norwich, where he established a thriving practice.

This fine painting is in an excellent state of conservation and is ready to hang in high quality gilded frame

Higher resolution images on request. Worldwide shipping available.

Canvas: 50” x 40" / 127m x 102cm. Framed:48" x 58" / 148cm x 122cm.