Artwork
Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland)
Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist George Romney. It dates from 1773 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Overview
George Romney’s 1773 oil painting, titled Portrait of Two Girls (Misses Cumberland), presents a quiet domestic scene of two young women. Executed in a Rococo manner, the work is part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s collection, offering a glimpse into eighteenth‑century English portraiture and the artist’s skill in rendering intimate moments.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a seated girl, presumed to be Elizabeth Cumberland, with an open volume of The Fashionable Lover resting on her lap, while a second girl stands behind her, lightly resting a hand on the sitter’s shoulder. The tender gesture and shared focus on the book suggest themes of sisterly affection, education, and the cultivated leisure of genteel families.
Technique & Style
Romney employs a restrained palette of earthy tones, allowing a soft, golden illumination to model the figures. Subtle chiaroscuro creates depth, emphasizing the girls’ faces and the texture of the book. The brushwork is smooth and refined, typical of Rococo portraiture, yet the overall mood conveys a restrained intimacy rather than overt ornamentation.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1773, the portrait entered the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it remains on display. Its provenance traces back to the Cumberland family, who commissioned the work during Romney’s period of popularity among England’s elite patrons, reflecting his reputation for capturing nuanced expressions within aristocratic circles.
Own this work as a print
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.
