Portrait of an Actress

Born in Kendal in 1750, Daniel Gardner was associated with the so-called ‘Kendal School of Portrait Painters’, of which George Romney was the central figure. Gardner’s artistic talent was apparent from an early age, and he received instruction from both Christopher Steele and George Romney in Kendal. He later worked with Romney in London, before entering the Royal Academy Schools in 1770. Gardner was also taught by Sir Joshua Reynolds, then President of the Academy, and during this time he made many useful acquaintances and contacts.

Although influenced by the compositions and poses of Romney and Reynolds, Gardner used a highly individual technique, working mainly in pastel, gouache and tempera. He developed a type of gouache (an opaque, water-based medium) which allowed him to work very quickly and achieve expressive, spontaneous effects, often combined with other media such as pastel.

In this work, the actress is portrayed holding the mask of comedy, and the dancing children in the background are reminiscent of Romney’s The Gower Family of 1776 (on display next door). The painting reveals Gardner’s sense of feminine grace and decorative colour, as well as a feeling for landscape.