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| Johann Zoffany Portrait of David Garrick early 1760s Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
From the curator's notes provided by the Ashmolean Museum for the portrait above – "The celebrated actor David Garrick (1717-1779) bought out the young German artist Zoffany from his apprenticeship with Benjamin Wilson in 1762 and became one of his most consistent patrons. Most of Zoffany's portraits of Garrick show him either in character on the stage or in conversation pieces. Here he is seen in an informal pose without his wig, but with the traditional device of masks of Comedy and Tragedy."
Like the other Ashmolean grab-bags we have been looking into, the paintings from the 18th century seem like miscellaneous curiosities, brought together by chance. Studied one by one, nevertheless, each begins to yield its own surprises kept concealed from hasty viewers.
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| Claude-Joseph Vernet Coastal Scene 1750s Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| Giambattista Tiepolo Woman with Macaw 1760s Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| George Romney Mrs. Siddons 1784 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| Joshua Reynolds James Paine, Architect, and his son, James 1764 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| Allan Ramsay Flora Macdonald 1749 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| Jan van Os Still Life with Flowers & Fruit 18th century Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| Anton Raphael Mengs William Fermor on the Grand Tour 1757 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| Thomas Lawrence Francis Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds 1796 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| William Hoare Portrait Study of the Countess of Ashburnham ca. 1775 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| Thomas Jones Rooftops in Naples 1782 Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
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| circle of Francesco Guardi Capriccio with Ruins & Bridge 18th century Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |