Miss Anna Seward
Miss Anna Seward, George Romney, 1802, England
Anna Seward was a renowned English poet and historian of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She was widely celebrated for her work and was known as the “Swan of Litchfield.” This portrait was commissioned by her friend and fellow poet, William Hayley. Seward and Haley were also friends with the artist, George Romney, who painted Seward while they were both on holiday visiting Hayley at his estate.
The friendship and artistic circumstances surrounding this portrait contributed greatly to the artist’s atypical portrayal of the female subject when compared to other portraits from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Seward is shown in a way that highlights her academic accomplishments, opposed to the luxurious clothing, jewelry, and valuable objects surrounding the sitter that were common in female portraiture at this time. The purpose of these objects and expensive luxuries was not meant to emphasize the woman, but rather the commissioner of the piece, who typically was the husband or male head of household. These female portraits were yet another medium through which men could display their wealth and status.
Contrary to this norm, Seward is shown in a plain dress inspired by neoclassical style, with a laurel crown atop her head. She holds a scroll and a book and quill are placed on a table beside her, symbolizing her skill and intelligence as a writer, but not in an overtly pompous way. This portrait shows the rare exception of a woman entering a predominantly man’s world, and the treatment given to her as a result. Important things to note about this piece are the circumstances of the commission and Seward’s relationship with Hayley, as well as her gaze. Although most of the features show Seward as an empowered woman, she does not firmly catch the viewer’s eye, but instead looks away sideways. Her slighted gaze brings her portrait back to the realities of womanhood and the social expectations of modesty and submission that characterized the early 19th century.