Artwork
Portrait of a Young Man of the Maynard Family
Portrait of a Young Man of the Maynard Family is an oil painting by George Romney. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
George Romney’s oil portrait, executed in 1790, presents a young member of the Maynard family. The work belongs to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection and exemplifies the artist’s focus on contemporary portraiture of England’s gentry during the late eighteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter appears thoughtful, his gaze directed inward. He is dressed in a brown coat, a green vest, and a black hat, with a white scarf draped around his neck, suggesting a fashionable yet restrained presentation typical of a young gentleman of his social rank.
Technique & Style
Romney employs chiaroscuro, contrasting the illuminated figure against a dark backdrop tinged with blue and brown tones. This handling of light creates a three‑dimensional effect, emphasizing the textures of the fabrics and the contours of the face.
History & Provenance
Painted in the year 1790, the portrait entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings at an unspecified later date, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s representation of British portraiture.
Context
The work reflects the aesthetic preferences of the late Georgian period, when portraiture served both as a record of personal identity and as a marker of social status among England’s elite families.
Artist & collection
Artist
George Romney (26 December 1734 – 15 November 1802) was an English painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures – including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson.
Self-Portrait
Portrait of a Woman, Said to Be Emily Bertie Pott (died 1782)
Mrs. Bryan Cooke (Frances Puleston, 1765–1818)
Mrs. Charles Frederick (Martha Rigden, died 1794)
Lady Elizabeth Hamilton (1753–1797), Countess of Derby
Portrait of a Man
Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle (1726–1816)
Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland)
David Hunter of Blackness (died 1809)
Portrait of Hugh Hope
William Forsyth (1749–1814)
Sir John Orde
Self-portrait
Portrait of a Young Man (probably the Artist's Son, John Medina the Younger, died 1764)
John Myers
Reverend Basil Bury Beridge
John Wilkinson
John Smith of Craigend (1739 - 1816)
John Musters
Alexander Murray, 8th Baron Elibank