Mrs Everard

This painting of a 'Mrs Everard' was acquired by the V&A in 1864 as attributed to Allan Ramsay. At the height of his career, about 1738-60, Ramsay was one of Britain's leading portrait painters working in both London and his native Edinburgh. He was a favourite of George William Frederick, Prince of Wales who, upon becoming George III in 1760, commanded Ramsay to paint all the official portraits of the new King and later his young Queen. In 1761 Ramsay became an official Painter to King George III.

Ramsay was known for his sensitive protraits of women. Based on the dating of the costume this painting was painted around 1770 and would have been undertaken towards the end of Ramsay's career. A crippling accident to his right arm in 1773 necessitated his retirement from practice. However, his studio continued to produce replicas of the Coronation portraits of the King and Queen.