Mrs. Robinson as Perdita
This lovely young woman seated in a park, fingering a spindle wound with thread and accompanied by her dog, is Mary Robinson. When she performed the role of Perdita in an adaption of Shakespeare's "Winter's Tale," staged by David Garrick in 1779, George, Prince of Wales fell in love with her, and she became his mistress for two years.
The artist Cosway enjoyed a long career as a fashionable society portraitist and worked in a range of media. Here he uses watercolor for a small full length image that suggestively links the subject's life on and off the stage--Robinson is seated in an English landscape, but rustic elements of her gown and her spindle refer to her stage identity as Perdita, the adopted daughter of shepherds loved by a prince.
The artist Cosway enjoyed a long career as a fashionable society portraitist and worked in a range of media. Here he uses watercolor for a small full length image that suggestively links the subject's life on and off the stage--Robinson is seated in an English landscape, but rustic elements of her gown and her spindle refer to her stage identity as Perdita, the adopted daughter of shepherds loved by a prince.
Artwork Details
- Title: Mrs. Robinson as Perdita
- Artist: Richard Cosway (British, Oakford, Devon 1742–1821 London)
- Sitter: Mary "Perdita" Robinson (British, 1758–1800)
- Subject: William Shakespeare (British, Stratford-upon-Avon 1564–1616 Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Date: ca. 1779
- Medium: Graphite, blue chalk, and watercolor, with touches of gouache (bodycolor)
- Dimensions: oval sheet: 7 13/16 x 6 in. (19.9 x 15.3 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Bequest of Alexandrine Sinsheimer, 1958
- Object Number: 59.23.21
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Multiple artists/makers
1784
Richard Cosway
Richard Cosway
1788
Richard Cosway
Lavinia Spencer, Countess Spencer
ca. 1806
Richard Cosway
George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough [Marquess of Blandford]
1817–21
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.