Description

Oil on canvas in a good early 19th century frame. In the background a faint rural scene of woodland.
This is a charming portrait of a young lady, painted in Hysing's direct but informal style, very similar to his master Michael Dahl.
The sitter has been called Margaret Woodroffe, nee Cocks, but the portrait style and clothing are too early for that. Margaret Cocks was born in 1739, married Solomon Woodroffe in 1757, and died in 1809. It is possible that this was her mother.
VERSO: a handwritten label by a member of the family that includes the words 'Her son, Thomas Woodroffe was Aunts Gilbert's Father. Aunt Gilbert was our great great Aunt."
This 'skipping' of a generation or two is quite common in family histories which are often passed on with no serious research.
Regardless of the sitter's exact identity, this is a good portrait, typical of the artist and of its time.
HANS HYSING or Huyssing (1678-1752/1753), born at Stockholm in Sweden. He came to England in 1700 as assistant to his fellow Swede Michael Dahl, the portrait-painter, with whom he lived for many years.
He succeeded after Dahl's death to his practice, and adopted his manner. He was patronised by the family of George II, and painted the queen, the three royal princesses, and George III as a boy.
Many of his portraits, including Sir Robert Walpole, the speaker Arthur Onslow, Dr. John Theophilus Desaguliers, James Gibbs (the architect), were engraved in mezzotint by John Faber (1695-1756), and others. George Vertue describes portraits by him of the French engraver Joseph Goupy as 'well painted, much in Mr. Dahl's later manner.'
SIZE: 36 x 30.5 inches, including the frame.
PROVENANCE: By family descent, then to a private Westmoreland collection.
Internal Ref: 9259/6

Dimensions

Height = 91.5 cm (36")
Width = 77.5 cm (31")
Depth = 6.5 cm (3")