Julia, Lady Peel by Thomas Lawrence - 1827 - 90.8 x 70.8 cm The Frick Collection Julia, Lady Peel by Thomas Lawrence - 1827 - 90.8 x 70.8 cm The Frick Collection

Julia, Lady Peel

Oil on canvas • 90.8 x 70.8 cm
  • Thomas Lawrence - 13 April 1769 - 7 January 1830 Thomas Lawrence 1827

I love portraits. They have that sense of mystery—who was the portraited woman?  What was her life like?  Julia Floyd (1795–1859) was married in 1820 to the British statesman Sir Robert Peel, who twice served as Prime Minister and was an avid patron of Lawrence. The Frick portrait apparently was inspired by Rubens’ painting of Susanna Fourment Lunden known as the Chapeau de paille (The Straw Hat), which Peel had acquired in 1823. When Lawrence’s Julia, Lady Peel was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1827, a critic claimed it to be among “the highest achievements of modern art.” Lawrence’s flamboyant and virtuoso style has come to epitomize the spirit of the Regency period. 

We present today's beautiful piece thanks to The Frick Collection. See you tomorrow!  : )

P.S. Here you can read about 5 self-portraits of women artists that you didn't know (and you should)!