John Singleton Copley, Portrait of Mrs Humphrey Devereux, 1771, Gift of the Greenwood Family.

 

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John Singleton Copley, Portrait of a Lady, 1771, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Purchased with funds provided by the American Art Council, Anna Bing Arnold, F. Patrick Burns Bequest, Mr and Mrs. William Preston Harrison Collection, David M. Koetser, Art Museum Council, Jo Ann and Julian Ganz Jr., The Ahmanson Foundation, Ray Stark and other donors. 85.2
This portrait of an anonymous sitter was painted by Copley in the same year as "Mrs Humphrey Devereux" but it can be seen that in each painting, his handling of the portrait is quite different. While Mrs Devereux is captured in a contemplative mood and looks away from from the viewer, the subject in "Portrait of a Lady" engages the viewer by almost appearing to make eye contact. The sitter appears reserved and almost pensive.

The palette used by Copley in the portrait of "Mrs Humphrey Devereux" is dominated by dark, earthy tones whereas the "Portrait of a Lady" is dominated by the bright colours of the couch and her dress.