Current Location: In storage
Titles
Miss Kennedy
[?Polly] Kennedy
Maker(s)
Printmaker:
Watson, Thomas
Publisher:
Parker, Henry
Publisher:
Hooper, S.
Publisher:
Shropshire, Walter
Publisher:
Watson, Thomas
Painter:
Reynolds, Joshua
(After)
Entities
Categories
Description
After the portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds (Painted mainly in 1770; Private Collection; Mannings, 1033). The identity of the sitter is uncertain, although she is generally thought to have been a courtesan, the portrait by Reynolds having been commissioned by Sir Charles Bunbury, one of her admirers. Chaloner Smith asserts the name 'Polly Kennedy' only in parentheses and Goodwin hesitantly indicates Polly Kennedy adding, '(or Jones)'. Mannings cites from Reynolds's Pocket Book, in which he refers to her merely as 'Miss Kennedy' and speculates that, 'she may have been Polly Kennedy (? lived in Great Russell Street; died 1781), 'of an Irish family', as Tom Taylor suggested'. Seated, three-quarter-length to the front, head in three-quarter profile towards the right, left leg towards the right also. Her right arm raised, holding a cloth in her hand, her left arm extended along her left knee. She wears a pale gown with a repeat pattern of flower sprigs with an oriental scarf tied around her waist and a lavish, brocade coat, trimmed with ermine. Jewellery of long, pearl and stone necklace, large pearl, dropper earrings and a tiara-style headdress.
Legal notes
Bequeathed by Charles Brinsley Marlay, 1912
Mezzotint. After artists' names were erased and re-engraved as larger letters to fill the inscription space. In large, sloping letters towards the left: 'Sir Joshua Reynolds Pinx.t' and towards the right: 'T. Watson fecit.'. Publication details in smaller sloping letters below: 'published as the Act directs 1.st Sept. 1771. for H parker No. 82, Cornhill; S. Hooper No.25, Ludagte [sic] Hill; W. Shropshire, New Bond Street & T. Watson, in Broad Street.' Inscribed in graphite on the verso: 'CBM [Charles Brinsley Marlay]'; '47'; 'L [£]'.
Techniques used in production
Mezzotint
Identification numbers
Accession number: P.15109-R
Primary reference Number: 240137
Goodwin (Watson): 10.II
Chaloner Smith: 22.II
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Thursday 9 January 2020
Updated: Wednesday 11 January 2023
Last processed: Thursday 7 December 2023
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Paintings, Drawings and Prints
