The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 25, 2024

Cropley Ashley-Cooper (Later 6th Earl of Shaftesbury) with His Sister Mary Anne Ashley-Cooper, Later Lady Sturt of Crichel

Cropley Ashley-Cooper (Later 6th Earl of Shaftesbury) with His Sister Mary Anne Ashley-Cooper, Later Lady Sturt of Crichel

c. 1776
(British, c. 1750–1805)
England, 18th century
pastel with black and red chalk and graphite
Sheet: 50.7 x 40.2 cm (19 15/16 x 15 13/16 in.)
Severance and Greta Millikin Trust 2011.193
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

This pastel was presumably commissioned from Daniel Gardner by the children's father, who was himself the subject of a portrait by the artist.

Description

Daniel Gardner built a lucrative career that was based on fashionable portraiture, especially small-scale works in pastel, often in oval formats with landscape backgrounds. Executed in this format, this portrait is one of many by the artist that depicted children, his primary subjects. Here, the young Cropley Ashley-Cooper, later the 6th Earl of Shaftesbury, gazes fondly at his older sister, Mary Anne, who holds his hand and encircles his shoulders in close affection. Gardner took advantage of the special optical properties of pastel, whose minute, irregular particles reflect light diffusely, allowing an unparalleled velvety brilliance.
  • ?-?
    Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 4th Earl of Shaftesbury, presumably commissioned from the artist
    1921
    (Thomas Agnew & Sons, London)
    ?-?
    James Thursby-Pelham [1869-1947], 55 Cadogan Gardens, London, and Upon Cressett Hall, Shropshire
    by 1934-?
    Alfred E. Hill, London
    after 1934-1967
    Alfred E. Pearson, Sheffield & Torquay
    1967
    (his sale, Sotheby's, London, July 12, 1967, no. 226)
    1967-2011
    P. Pearson Hague, by descent
    2011
    (Lowell Libson, London, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH)
    2011-
    Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Libson, Lowell. British Art. Exh. Cat. London: Lowell Libson, 2012. Mentioned and reproduced: pp. 42-43
    Williamson, George Charles. Daniel Gardner, Painter in Pastel and Gouache: A Brief Account of His Life and Works. London: John Lane, 1921. Reproduced: between pp. 54-55 books.google.com
    Commemorative Catalogue of the Exhibition of British Art. Exh. Cat. London: Royal Academy of Arts, 1934. Mentioned and reproduced: p. 161, no. 665
    Lemonedes, Heather. British Drawings: The Cleveland Museum of Art. Exh. Cat. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2013. Mentioned: pp. 32-33, 146, no. 6; Reproduced: p. 33
    Jeffares, Neil. Dictionary of Pastellists before 1800. Online, updated 2019. Mentioned and reproduced: p. 8, no. J.338.1637 www.pastellists.com
  • British Drawings from the Cleveland Museum of Art . The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 10-May 26, 2013).
    Exhibition of British Art c. 1000-1860. Royal Academy of Arts, London (1934).
  • {{cite web|title=Cropley Ashley-Cooper (Later 6th Earl of Shaftesbury) with His Sister Mary Anne Ashley-Cooper, Later Lady Sturt of Crichel|url=false|author=Daniel Gardner|year=c. 1776|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2011.193