Rhapsodies

I haven’t been able to get as much of the Seattle Art Museum’s Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough exhibit as I would like. I’ve been either going there on the weekend when it’s packed which does not really lend itself to constructive sketching or I get there at the end of a weekday when the museum closes at five and I’m desperately trying to get something good finished before I get kicked out.

Anyway today’s was done last Thursday when I only had a had a half hour to work with (I would have had more but I got into a fairly good conversation with one of the security guards) So today’s sketch a portrait of Lady Louisa Manners done in 1779 by Joshua Reynolds. It’s done in the style approved by the Royal Acadamy as it intentionally takes on a timeless and mythic appearance and avoids any topical content or current fashion of the time.