Oil paint on canvas
Tate Britain
Tate Collection
Works with images
Works on display
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sir-joshua-reynolds-444" aria-label="More by Sir Joshua Reynolds" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Sir Joshua Reynolds</a>
Mrs Hartley as a Nymph with a Young Bacchus
Presented by Sir William Agnew Bt 1903
actions: expressive
adults
baby
boy
children
classical myths: creatures
classical myths: gods and heroes
Dionysus / Bacchus
dress: fantasy/fancy
family
fancy dress / role play
Hartley
individuals: female
landscape
male
mother and child
named individuals
nudes
nymph
people
portraits
religion and belief
society
supporting
woman
wooded
<p>Elizabeth Hartley (1751-1824) is depicted here as a mythological figure. She holds a young Bacchus, the ancient Greco-Roman god of wine and festivity. By the time this painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1773, Hartley was one of the most celebrated actresses on the London stage. Reynolds exhibited this painting with the title ‘A Nymph with Young Bacchus’. It was not presented as a portrait of Mrs Hartley, but as a subject or ‘fancy’ picture. Such pictures incorporated imagined elements into a scene, particularly of women and children.</p><p><em>Gallery label, October 2023</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
12 February 2005 – 25 September 2005
2005-09-25
12 February 2005 – 1 May 2005
2005-05-01
2005-02-12
Palazzo dei Diamanti (Ferrara, Italy)
26 May 2005 – 25 September 2005
2005-09-25
2005-05-26
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2005-02-12
Joshua Reynolds
Exhibition
26 September 2022
26 September 2022
2022-09-26
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2022-09-26
Gallery 15
Collection based display
Mrs Hartley as a Nymph with a Young Bacchus
support: 889 × 686 mm
frame: 1093 × 893 × 92 mm
Presented by Sir William Agnew Bt 1903
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<p>Elizabeth Hartley (1751-1824) is depicted here as a mythological figure. She holds a young Bacchus, the ancient Greco-Roman god of wine and festivity. By the time this painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1773, Hartley was one of the most celebrated actresses on the London stage. Reynolds exhibited this painting with the title ‘A Nymph with Young Bacchus’. It was not presented as a portrait of Mrs Hartley, but as a subject or ‘fancy’ picture. Such pictures incorporated imagined elements into a scene, particularly of women and children. </p>
</div>

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2023-10-26T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
actions: expressive adults baby boy children classical myths: creatures classical myths: gods and heroes Dionysus / Bacchus dress: fantasy/fancy family fancy dress / role play Hartley individuals: female landscape male mother and child named individuals nudes nymph people portraits religion and belief society supporting woman wooded