Who painted Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child?

Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child was painted by Joshua Reynolds in 1763.

Where can I see Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child?

Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child is held by Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

What movement is Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child?

Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child?

Museum-quality prints of Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child

Joshua Reynolds , 1763

Mrs. Richard Hoare Holding her Child is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Joshua Reynolds. It dates from 1763 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1763, this oil portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds shows Susanna Cecilia Dingley, known as Mrs. Richard Hoare, cradling her infant. The composition places the mother and child against a darkened backdrop, allowing the pale garments and tender gestures to dominate the visual field. The work is currently housed in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Subject & Meaning

The figure of the mother is rendered with a soft, attentive gaze directed toward the child, whose eyes are closed and head inclined upward. The intimate pose, suggesting nursing, conveys a quiet domestic affection, emphasizing maternal care within the private sphere of 18th‑century family life.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on canvas, Reynolds employs a limited palette of whites and muted tones for the subjects, contrasted with a deep, almost tenebrous background. The brushwork balances smooth modeling of flesh with a more textured handling of fabric, reflecting the decorative yet restrained qualities associated with the Rococo idiom in English portraiture.

History & Provenance

Commissioned in the early 1760s, the portrait entered the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, through acquisition in the 20th century. Reynolds, who later became the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts and was knighted in 1769, produced the work during his rise as a pre‑eminent portraitist of the British aristocracy.

Context

At the time of its creation, Reynolds was shaping a new approach to portraiture that combined classical ideals with contemporary sensibilities. This painting illustrates his interest in portraying subjects with naturalistic warmth while still adhering to the elegant compositional conventions favored by the English elite of the period.