Lady Skipwith 1787

Joshua Reynolds painted Lady Skipwith in oil on canvas, sometime in the late 18th century. Reynolds was celebrated for his handling of paint, using it to convey the textures of fabric and skin, but also to suggest social status. Consider here the whiteness of Lady Skipwith's dress, achieved through multiple layers of pigment. The bright white symbolized wealth, as maintaining such pristine garments required considerable resources for cleaning and upkeep. Lace trim, delicate embroidery, and other decorative elements added to the dress's value and signaled the sitter's elevated position in society. The very act of sitting for a portrait like this was a privilege, beyond the reach of the working classes, who were occupied with manual labor. Reynolds’s painting thus immortalizes not only Lady Skipwith, but also the social system that enabled her lifestyle. Paying attention to materials and the means of production allows us to understand the complex relationship between art, labor, and social status.