A Lady of the Seventeenth Century 1877

John Pettie painted this portrait, A Lady of the Seventeenth Century, with oil on canvas in the late 19th century. Pettie was a Scottish artist who spent much of his career in London, eventually becoming a member of the Royal Academy. This image embodies the late 19th century taste for historical genre painting, a popular trend in British art at the time. While the title directs us to the 17th century, the style and the technique mark it as a product of Pettie's own Victorian era. The loose brushwork and vibrant colours align it with the aesthetic movement, which emphasized beauty and sensory experience. To understand Pettie's influences, we can look at the art institutions and market forces that shaped his career. By studying exhibition records, art criticism, and the biographies of artists like Pettie, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the social conditions that shaped this artwork. It is a potent reminder that art is always a product of its time, reflecting the values and tastes of its society.