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Lot Essay
Romney painted two three-quarter length portraits of a Miss Ann Parry in 1777, at 18 guineas each. She sat seven times to him that year, between 24 June and 14 August. Both canvases are now untraced, but one portrait showing her looking out towards the spectator was engraved in mezzotint by John Dean and published on 5 February 1778. The sitter in these two portraits may have been the Ann Parry who was married to George Milner at St George's, Hanover Square, 9 August 1778, or Anne, fifth daughter of Robert Parry, of Plas Newydd, Denbigh, who married Walter Nisbet in 1784.
However the present sitter does not appear to be dressed for a portrait. She may simply be a servant, or a friend or acquaintance. Romney had met and become friendly with the Welsh portrait painter William Parry, a pupil of Reynolds, in Rome between 1773 and 1775, and it is conceivable that the subject is a connection of his.
However the present sitter does not appear to be dressed for a portrait. She may simply be a servant, or a friend or acquaintance. Romney had met and become friendly with the Welsh portrait painter William Parry, a pupil of Reynolds, in Rome between 1773 and 1775, and it is conceivable that the subject is a connection of his.