18th Century Britain 2

Question 1

Mrs. Siddons as the Tragic Muse

Answer 1

Joshua Reynolds from 1783-84 in England

• Currently in Huntington Library and Art Gallery in San Marino, California
• The central model is Sarah Siddons, the leading tragic actor of the second half of 18th century Britain
• In the painting Siddons is depicted as Melpomene, one of the nine muses of classical mythology who oversaw tragic drama
• The figure on the left is the muse of Pity and on the right is the muse of Terror
• Her pose is borrowed from Michelangelo’s Isaiah

Question 2

Caernavon Castle

Answer 2

Richard Wilson from 1760-65 in England

• Currently in the Yale Center of British Art of New Haven, Conneticut
• Wilson painted six versions of Caernavon Castle
• The castle was built by English king Edward I in the 13th century
• The castle was built near the site of the ancient Roman fort of Segontium
• The castle was used as a royal seat and administrative center

Question 3

The Leigh Family

Answer 3

George Romney from 1770 in England

• Currently in the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia
• Shown at the Society of Artists in 1768
• One of Romney’s earliest attempts to paint full-length, life size figures
• Commissioned by Jared Leigh, the man in red within the painting

Question 4

Gimcrack with John Pratt Up, at Newmarket

Answer 4

George Stubbs from 1770 in England

• Gimrack was an English thoroughbred racehorse
• Commissioned by William Wildman
• Currently in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England
• The setting of the painting is Newmarket Heath which is an important center for horseracing in Britain