X-Ray Photo of the Hartley Children Portrait, c.1781-83 (b/w photo)

Winchcombe Henry Eyre-Hartley and his sisters Charlotte and Mary. Portraits of high society convey a family's status or wealth and therefore serve as a record for posterity. Props and the sitter's position are tools the artist employs to communicate this message. The young boy in this painting stands prominently in front of his sisters and confronts the viewer, while his two sisters look coyly down at their handiwork. These subtle devices afford the viewer a glimpse into the pre-established roles for young boys and girls in this time period. In a recent cleaning of this portrait, an image of the children's mother emerged from behind the present paint layer and her form is barely visible on the right side of the canvas. The accompanying x-ray scan indicates the mother's figure and original position more clearly. Evidence suggests that the mother was painted out within ten years of the original commission. She may have re-married or passed away, hence her removal from the canvas. (May 2006)