Mrs Crouch 1787

George Romney painted this portrait of Mrs. Crouch using oil on canvas. The canvas is woven, and the paint applied in layers, which gives the image depth and texture. Romney was renowned for his rapid brushwork, often completing portraits in just a few sittings. This speed was essential to his business model, which relied on churning out portraits for a burgeoning middle class. The relative speed of his production—compared, say, to the painstaking methods of earlier masters—allowed him to keep costs down, and meet demand. The materials used in "Mrs. Crouch" – canvas, oil paints, and brushes – were increasingly standardized and commercially available at this time. Yet the skill in blending these materials, and applying them to conjure a likeness and convey social status, was where Romney’s talent lay. This required not just technical facility, but an understanding of the market, and an ability to work efficiently within its constraints. Considering materials, making, and context allows a deeper appreciation of artworks, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.