Portrait Sketch
1831 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This is a drawing in graphite on paper by an accomplished amateur artist, Elizabeth Rigby. It shows an unknown fashionable young lady and is probably a portrait of a friend or relative of the artist. Rigby's initials 'ER' can be seen lower-right, with the date of the sitting: 'April 17 1831'.
People
Elizabeth Rigby was the daughter of a Norwich doctor. She was taught drawing and watercolour by the local Norwich artist John Sell Cotman (1782-1842), who, like many artists, supplemented his meagre income from commissions by teaching. Though Rigby became a notable writer, particularly on travel and art, she never referred to her former teacher. And despite her success as a writer, she once told a friend that she preferred to paint. In 1849 she became Lady Eastlake on her marriage to the Royal Academician and Director of the National Gallery, London, Sir Charles Eastlake.
Ownership & Use
In 1831, when this portrait was drawn, Rigby was living with her mother at Framingham, south-east of Norwich, having returned from a two-year trip to Germany in 1829. Portraiture, of course, was a favourite genre for many amateur artists. But, just as many well-to-do artistic women and men did before photography became a popular hobby, Rigby also recorded her travels in Britain and abroad.
This is a drawing in graphite on paper by an accomplished amateur artist, Elizabeth Rigby. It shows an unknown fashionable young lady and is probably a portrait of a friend or relative of the artist. Rigby's initials 'ER' can be seen lower-right, with the date of the sitting: 'April 17 1831'.
People
Elizabeth Rigby was the daughter of a Norwich doctor. She was taught drawing and watercolour by the local Norwich artist John Sell Cotman (1782-1842), who, like many artists, supplemented his meagre income from commissions by teaching. Though Rigby became a notable writer, particularly on travel and art, she never referred to her former teacher. And despite her success as a writer, she once told a friend that she preferred to paint. In 1849 she became Lady Eastlake on her marriage to the Royal Academician and Director of the National Gallery, London, Sir Charles Eastlake.
Ownership & Use
In 1831, when this portrait was drawn, Rigby was living with her mother at Framingham, south-east of Norwich, having returned from a two-year trip to Germany in 1829. Portraiture, of course, was a favourite genre for many amateur artists. But, just as many well-to-do artistic women and men did before photography became a popular hobby, Rigby also recorded her travels in Britain and abroad.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil on paper |
| Brief description | Portrait sketch of a young lady seated, wearing a wide-brimmed hat decorated with ribbons |
| Physical description | Sketch of a young lady in a wide brimmed hat |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
This unknown sitter was drawn by Elizabeth Rigby, the daughter of a Norwich doctor, who began drawing at the age of 8. She was a pupil of the watercolourist John Sell Cotman (1782-1842) and became a prolific amateur artist and journalist. She married the professional painter Sir Charles Eastlake (1793-1865), who later became the first director of the National Gallery in London.(27/03/2003) |
| Object history | Drawn by Elizabeth Rigby, later Lady Eastlake (born in Norfolk, Norwich 1809, died in London, 1893) |
| Production | Signed and dated 1831 |
| Summary | Object Type This is a drawing in graphite on paper by an accomplished amateur artist, Elizabeth Rigby. It shows an unknown fashionable young lady and is probably a portrait of a friend or relative of the artist. Rigby's initials 'ER' can be seen lower-right, with the date of the sitting: 'April 17 1831'. People Elizabeth Rigby was the daughter of a Norwich doctor. She was taught drawing and watercolour by the local Norwich artist John Sell Cotman (1782-1842), who, like many artists, supplemented his meagre income from commissions by teaching. Though Rigby became a notable writer, particularly on travel and art, she never referred to her former teacher. And despite her success as a writer, she once told a friend that she preferred to paint. In 1849 she became Lady Eastlake on her marriage to the Royal Academician and Director of the National Gallery, London, Sir Charles Eastlake. Ownership & Use In 1831, when this portrait was drawn, Rigby was living with her mother at Framingham, south-east of Norwich, having returned from a two-year trip to Germany in 1829. Portraiture, of course, was a favourite genre for many amateur artists. But, just as many well-to-do artistic women and men did before photography became a popular hobby, Rigby also recorded her travels in Britain and abroad. |
| Bibliographic reference | Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1945, London: HMSO, 1956. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.1009-1945 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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