Description:
Hans Hysing (Huyssing) (1678-1753)
Miss Reynolds, Sister of the Bishop of Lincoln, 1700-1720
Oil on canvas
750mm x 633mm
A young lady dressed in a bright blue dress that is opened at the front to reveal a deep cleavage covered by a white shift. Draped around her shoulders and her left arm is a red stole or cloak. The woman's body is turned to the right, but her head is twisted sharply to the left. Her eyes are blue and she has the pouting red lips typical of the period. Her brown hair is swept back from her face, but appears to be loose around the back, with some thick strands visible above her right shoulder. Her hairstyle, the smooth appearance of her face and the absence of any jewellery suggest a relatively young, and possibly unmarried woman.
The sitter is said to be Miss Reynolds, sister of the Bishop of Lincoln, Richard Reynolds (1674-1743), but no record of her has been found.
Hysing was born in Stockholm, where he was first apprenticed to a goldsmith and then to David Krafft. He settled in London in 1700, where he studied under Michael Dahl for many years. His dated works as a society portrait painter range from 1721 to 1739.