An Unknown Woman
Mary Beale (née Cradock)
ca. 1675
Beale ran a commercial studio in London, meeting the strong demand for portraits of an exclusive clientele. This depiction of a high-status woman is representative of the painter’s output during the 1670s. The blue ultramarine pigment used in the mantle draped over the sitter’s shoulders not only denotes her wealth and status but also would have occasioned a surcharge from the artist to pay for the costly hue. In addition to commissions such as these, Beale made portraits of her husband, Charles, and their two sons, all of whom assisted in the running of her business.
Yale Center for British Art, New Haven · Image: Yale Center for British Art, Public domain · Text: Yale Center for British Art, CC0