Attributed to PHILIP MERCIER (1689-1740)

A63413

24.75 inch wide   29.50 inch high

62.86 cm wide  74.93 cm high

31.50inch framed width   36.00inch framed height

80.01 cm framed width  91.44 cm framed height

A63413
PORTRAIT OF A LADY
READING A SHEET OF MUSIC
THOUGHT TO BE MARGARET (PEG) WOOFINGTON

ATTRIBUTED TO PHILIP MERCIER

Circa 1689 -1760
Oil on canvas 29 ½ x 24 ¾ inches
Framed size 36 x 31 ½ inches

Mercier was born in 1689/1691 of a French Huguenot family.
He studied in Berlin under Antoine Pesne. He then visited Italy and France, then Hanover where he painted Frederick, Prince of Wales, bringing this portrait and a recommendation from the Prince to England in 1711 or 1716.
In 1719 he married in London. Mercier attracted the patronage of Hanover courtiers and painted conversation pieces from 1725. On the arrival of Prince Frederick from Hanover, he was appointed Principal Portrait Painter to the Prince from 1729 to 1736 and Library Keeper from 1730 to 1738. Mercier fell out with the Prince circa 1736 and went on to settle in New York from 1739 to 1751. He did however visit Scotland in 1740 and Ireland in 1747. In 1752 he travelled to Portugal and stayed there for a year, then returned to London.
He exhibited 3 paintings at The Society of Artists of Great Britain in 1760.
His work usually favoured bright colours and painted in a distinctively French manner. Mercier was influenced by Ramsay, Reynolds, Charles Phillip and Henry Robert Morland.
Waterhouse described him as ‘an important figure in the introduction of French taste to England’.
Philip Mercier died in London on 18 July 1760.

Work represented in: National Portrait Gallery London; Tate Gallery; Leeds City Art Gallery; The Royal Collection; Cliveden National Trust; National Gallery of Scotland; Wimpole Hall National Trust.

Margaret (Peg) Woffington was one of the most famous actresses of her time. She was born into poor circumstances, and a letter written by Edmund Burke described her as ‘of low origin… but talents and nature often avenge themselves on fortune’.
Her career on the stage began when she played Macbeth in a version of John Gay’s The Beggar’s
Opera. In 1742 she combined with David Garrick to play Cordelia to his Lear. They began a passionate relationship and shared lodgings near Covent Garden. She ended her life having succeeded in developing an outstanding reputation combined with an unparalleled repertory and great wealth.


Bibl: Dictionary of Portrait Painters in Britain – B. Stewart & M. Cutten

gbp 5001.00-8000.00 (Pound Sterling)

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