Henrietta De Beaulieu Dering Johnston (1674-1729) - Pastel Portrait Of A Lady, Early 16th Century

A delicate, small pastel portrait from the early 18th century, attributed to Henrietta de Beaulieu Dering Johnston, depicting a beautiful woman. Executed with quick strokes on buff paper, this charming work has retained much of its original vivid pigment. The elegant sitter, her hair styled in the fashion of the time, exudes an enchanting beauty, with large eyes and rosebud lips. She wears the silk dress typical of ladies of the period, in a style that was then described as "slightly undressed"—in this case, a bright red shawl over a white chemise that slips off her shoulders. This work possesses all the power of a much larger portrait of the period and is presented ready to hang in its original antique fruitwood frame with a sanded gilt molding. Henrietta Johnston was born in northern France around 1674. In 1687, her family fled to London to escape religious persecution. In 1694, she married the son of a baronet and settled in Ireland. During her time there, Henrietta learned to paint portraits in pastels. Her husband died in 1704, leaving her a widow with two young children. She remarried in 1705 to Gideon Johnston, an Anglican minister. A father of four, he was experiencing financial difficulties. In 1708, he decided to move his entire family to Charleston, South Carolina, accepting the position of representative of the Bishop of London. The Johnston family continued to struggle financially in their new home, and Henrietta began working as a professional portrait painter for London's elite. She is the first recorded female professional artist in the colonies and the first colonial artist to use pastels. Obtaining the necessary materials proved difficult, so Henrietta returned to London in 1711. On her way back, she survived a pirate attack. With the death of her second husband in 1716, Henrietta became the sole provider for her family. Her reputation as an artist grew, and in 1725, she went to New York to paint portraits for the city's elite. She died in Charleston on March 9, 1729. Today, about thirty of her portraits survive. Johnston has the distinction of being both the first professional female artist and the first professional pastelist in America. Her pastels are among her most published and admired works. Sheet dimensions: 30 cm x 23 cm. Framed dimensions: 45 cm x 38 cm x 4 cm.