Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bull
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Arthur Devis was a principal practitioner of the conversation piece, a form of small-scale group portraiture that placed sitters in interiors evoking modern elegance and taste. This example likely celebrates the marriage of Mrs. Mary (Ash) Bennet, a wealthy widow, to Richard Bull, a member of parliament and prominent collector of books and prints. Devis surrounded Mr. and Mrs. Bull with emblems of cosmopolitan refinement, such as the Chinese porcelain on the mantelpiece, the Italianate landscape paintings on the walls, and the Turkish carpet underfoot. At the same time, Mrs. Bull’s sewing basket and thimble associate her with traditional feminine virtues.
Artwork Details
- Title: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bull
- Artist: Arthur Devis (British, Preston 1712–1787 Brighton)
- Date: 1747
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 42 1/4 x 34 1/4 in. (107.3 x 87 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: New York University Institute of Fine Arts, Conservation Center Study Collection
- Object Number: L.2009.54
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings