Mrs. Cross
£200.00
John Smith after Thomas Hill Mrs. Cross London, J. Smith c. 1700 Mezzotint 360x250mm Slight overall browning
Description
A three quarter length portrait of a pretty, blonde, young girl. She looks demurely out, head slightly on one side, wearing a loose satin dress and shawl. Her hair is dressed with pearls, and on the left is a vase of flowers. In the background is what appears to be a classical theatrical stage set. A portrait of the actress and opera singer Mrs. Cross. Little is known about her, except that the Spectator remarked disparagingly (and if this portrait is anything to go by extremely unfairly) that when she arrived in the Low Countries she ‘was not as handsome as Madame Van Brisket, by near half a ton’.
