The Saithwaite Family

Francis Wheatley

ca. 1785 · Oil on canvas · European Paintings

Wheatley was among the best painters of the small-scale group portrait, or conversation piece, one of the most innovative genres of eighteenth-century English art. Here he shows a couple and their little girl, traditionally identified as members of the Saithwaite family. The lady’s dress, with its starched white muslin trim, her puffy powdered hair, and her elaborate plumed hat indicate a date of about 1785. The red figured damask upholstery and the Turkish carpet are painted with an attention to detail that conveys the luxurious textures of the family’s surroundings.

Artist

Francis Wheatley

Date

ca. 1785

Medium

Oil on canvas

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2009