Mrs. Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Hester Jane Ogle, 1775–1817) and Her Son
Charles Brinsley Sheridan, 1796-1843
Step into the world of 18th-century aristocratic cosplay! John Hoppner portrays Hester Jane Ogle, the young wife of famous playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, dressed as a rustic peasant carrying her toddler son Charles on her back. This 'fancy picture' was a trendy genre where the elite posed as humble country folk—note the clay jug in her hand and the donkey grazing in the background. Despite the rustic costume, her glowing complexion and graceful stance scream high society. Painted around 1796, it captures a tender, theatrical moment of motherhood before Hester's tragic early death at 42.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
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