Portrait of Lady Penelope Russell, née Hill (attributed to Joan Carlile)

Attributed to joan carlile (circa 1606–1679 london) portrait of lady penelope russell, née hill (b. Before 1636; d. 1694), half-length, in a painted oval, wearing an orange dress with an open sky beyond inscribed lower left: the honble; / mrs; russell. Oil on canvas 38. 8 x 32 cm.;15¼ x 12⅝ in. With a recognised œuvre consisting of a mere 18 fully and partly attributed works, joan carlile is one of the most rarely encountered painters in british art history. 1 with a claim to being the first professional female british artist, taking paying commissions from the 1630s onwards, carlile's full-length portraits of ladies in satin dresses set against smoky pink landscapes have become the artist's most firmly attributable and recognisable works. This painting falls into a lesser known category of half-length portraits, only four of which are known, three of which are of female sitters. Characteristic features of carlile's painted faces are the somewhat pointy features she gives her sitters, as well as very minutely painted curls of hair, pearls and jewelry accessories. Her approach to drapery painting, in which boldly executed highlights and folds are painted on top of darker mid-tones, is also evident in this portrait. The only recognised half-length portrait by carlile painted on canvas, is in the government art collection. Nevertheless, a comparison to the quality and style of painting observed in a portrait of an unknown lady by carlile in the collection of berkeley castle is also highly comparable to this work. Lady penelope russell, née hill, was the daughter of sir moyses hill of hillsborough (d. 1630) and alice macdonnel, with whom this portrait descended into the collections of the marquess of downshire. Lady penelope married three times, first to an arthur wilmot (dates unknown) and secondly to sir william brooke, 12th baron cobham (d. 1643). She was married for a third and final time to the hon. Edward russell (d. 1665), a younger son of francis russell, 4th earl of bedford (1587–1641). The russell connection adds further weight and interest to this painting's attribution to joan carlile. Firstly, carlile is recorded to have occupied a house in covent garden in 1654, the new piazza laid out by francis, 4th earl of bedford between 1630–1631 from designs supplied by inigo jones (1573–1652). The artist lived therefore in property owned by lady penelope's relations. Carlile is also known to have painted members of the russell family. A portrait of a 'lady bedford' (now untraced) is mentioned in the artist's will. Another portrait, traditionally called anne russell, countess of bedford (1615–1684), (but since doubted) is at eastnor castle, herefordshire. Date: 17th century.