Portrait of Mrs Dawson of Retford

Ever since these two pictures were bought by the Ferens in 1959 from a descendant of the original sitters they have presented an enigma. Their quality as mid-18th century portraits has never been questioned and they hang easily in the company of the masterpiece by Arthur Devis (1711-1787) which comes from the same period. Mrs Dawson is altogether more free in touch, especially in the landscape background. As the pictures have always been hung together as a pair it has always been assumed they are by the same artist from the same time, even though there is a difference in their size. It has been suggested that these two pictures are possibly by George Stubbs through comparison with the few other early works currently identifiable. The closest resemblance for the Mrs Dawson is the Portrait of young Sir John Nelthorpe at Scawby Hall, Lincolnshire. The treatment of the hands in both pictures is particularly distinctive and the backgrounds in the three pictures are treated in a very similar manner.