A Life in Portraits

PortraitsofEliza.jpg

Muse / Model / Artist

Elizabeth Linley was painted throughout her life, both in fashionable portraits and as a model.

The Linley family had a particularly close relationship with Thomas Gainsborough, who would satisfy his passion for music at their home, painting the family formally and informally, with a notable fondness for Eliza. She posed for Joshua Reynolds, who immortalised her both as St Cecilia (the patron saint of music) and as an embodiment of Charity. She was literally a Muse for Richard Samuel in a multiple portrait that shows the most influential women of the day.

Here, you can visit the paintings online or plan a trip to the public collections where she now sits. Please also enjoy the film that takes you through the portraits chronologically.

Leo Crane