An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Miss Phillis Hurrell (1746–1836)1762
Artist: Sir Joshua Reynolds
British, 1723–1792
Portrait shows Mrs. Froude seated, wearing a blue dress, quilted with bows in front, a white satin mantle trimmed with lace over her shoulders, playing a mandolin.
35 5/8 x 28 1/2 in. (90.49 x 72.39 cm) (sight)
46 x 39 in. (116.84 x 99.06 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
England
18th century
Gift of the F. K. and Vivian O'Gara Weyerhaeuser Foundation
In a quiet corner of Devon, where the rolling hills meet the sky, a young girl named Phillis Hurrell blossomed in the cradle of an ancient aristocratic family. At about sixteen, her days were painted in soft hues of youth and grace, until the masterful hand of Joshua Reynolds captured her essence in a portrait. There she sat, serene yet vibrant, fingers delicately poised on a lute—an instrument that whispered of her musical talents and revealed the depths of her faithful, sympathetic spirit.
Behind the scenes, the artist’s studio became a sanctuary of creativity, where the atmosphere thickened with expectation. Six sessions in the summer of 1762 shaped the canvas that would someday grace the walls of her family home. When it finally arrived on July 29, the painting was not merely a reflection of her appearance; it was a window into the heart of a young woman on the brink of life’s inevitable changes.
Fast forward to 1766, the winds of time shifted and carried Phillis to a new chapter. She exchanged vows with Robert Froude, a promising union laden with promise. Together, they welcomed four children into their world, laughter echoing through their halls, an orchestra of familial love. But winds change unexpectedly, and only four years into their marriage, fate dealt a cruel hand. Robert's passing left Phillis in the storm’s eye—a widow thrust into the tempest of life with three young daughters: Mary, Margaret, and Elizabeth, alongside the memory of their posthumous brother, Robert Hurrell.
Yet, in the shadow of personal loss, she emerged as a formidable figure—a woman of immense strength. The years unfurled like an intricate tapestry, and for sixty-six more years, Phillis traversed the landscape of grief and resilience. The chill of her husband’s absence never left, but she stood tall, watching as the lives of her brilliant grandchildren began their own intricate dances with destiny.
In the quiet moments, perhaps she gazed out toward the graveyards of her memories—her beloved Robert, her children, now grown, and the inevitable farewells that time demanded. Each loss carved its name into her heart, yet beneath each sorrow was also the whisper of countless stories, lives intertwined, legacies born. Her son, Robert Hurrell, emerged from the shadows of absence to carve a name for himself, becoming the Rector of Dartington and later, Archdeacon of Totnes, leaving a mark that would echo through generations.
As the seasons turned beyond her years, Phillis's life was a testament to both the fragility and strength of the human spirit. In the tapestry of her existence, art and life danced together—each brushstroke of Reynolds preserving not just her image, but the essence of survival, love, and the indomitable spirit that lay within. Like the lute she held so gracefully, her story resonated through time, a melody of hope amidst the notes of heartache.
About the artist
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