Portrait Of A Young Girl With Her Spaniel - Attributed To Robert Byng (1666-1720.)

A large-scale, richly colored and highly decorative portrait of a young girl holding her spaniel which presents a charming vision of childhood in the early years of 18th century England. The pretty young woman stands full length in a clearing, under a tree. In the distance, we can see a tower and a church bell tower. With her head tilted slightly, she looks directly at the viewer and engages us with her sympathetic gaze. Sitting next to her on a grassy outcropping is her pet spaniel, she rests one arm on it and with the other she affectionately strokes the puppy under her chin. Her costume consisting of a long shimmering blue silk dress and a scarf both have finely executed draping, the latter introducing a welcome element of dynamic movement into this work. The model's confident face and braided hair are also notable. This portrait offers a captivating insight into early Georgian ideas about the innocence of childhood. Later in the century, children's art began to emphasize the innocence and purity of childhood by showing children at play or in moments of unconscious contemplation. Here, however, the sitter is shown dressed as an adult lady might have been in her portrait, and in this state she is as much a miniature woman as a child. Portraits of children, especially those of this scale, were a great luxury at that time and, although the sitter remains woefully unknown, it can be assumed that she belonged to an aristocratic or high-ranking family. Robert Byng (1666-1720) Bing was born in Wiltshire, but is buried in Oxford where he died in 1720, having lived there before 1714. He was the pupil and very strongly influenced by Sir Godfrey Kneller (principal painter to the king and England's most distinguished Baroque portraitist). The first dated portraits of Byng are from around 1697; one of his younger brothers, Edward, was the draper painter to Kneller and his principal assistant. Higher resolution images on request. Worldwide shipping available. Canvas: 57" x 49.5" / 145 cm x 1255 cm. Frame: 64" x 55.5" / 162 cm x 141 cm.