Mrs. Grace Dalrymple Elliott (1754?–1823)
Thomas Gainsborough
1778 · Oil on canvas · European Paintings
In 1774 Gainsborough moved to London, and by 1777 he was exhibiting portraits of members of the royal family at the Royal Academy. Around the same time, he acquired a clientele of glamorous women involved in contemporary scandals. This portrait of the Scottish Mrs. Elliott was apparently commissioned by her lover, the first marquess of Cholmondeley. Its elegance, delicate golden coloring, and fluid handling all reflect what one contemporary called Gainsborough’s “thin brilliant style.”
- Artist
- Thomas Gainsborough
- Date
- 1778
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Department
- European Paintings
- Credit line
- Bequest of William K. Vanderbilt, 1920
