Malay Woman
Reproduction
Object numberRCSSC/P 244
CollectionHunterian Art
CategoryVisual works
Object nameOil paintings, Portraits
TitleMalay Woman
DescriptionPortrait of a Malay woman, by Robert Home, unsigned, 1770-1788.
The sitter is a young woman of South-East asian appearance. She is shown three-quarter length to left, face turned to towards the viewer; the woman is seated at a dressing table with her right elbow resting on the table, her right hand raised and her index finger resting just below her ear; her left arm rests on her lap with the hand out of view. She wears a long-sleeved dress in gold and green trimmed with lace at the breast and cuffs, and over this a short sleeved red gown trimmed with white fur. On her head is a white turban decorated with embroidery and strings of pearls; a trailing end of fine white material trimmed with brocade hangs below her left shoulder and dark curly hair hangs loose down the back of her neck. On the table, a gilt-framed mirror reflects her in profile, and below this sit several lacquered boxes, one of which contains a watch and a trailing string of pearls.
According to William Clift, Hunter's former assistant and later Conservator of the Hunterian Museum at the College, the sitter 'was sent to England for education; and died of psoas abscess. I was informed by R. Haynes [house-pupil of Hunter] that she was a Patient of Mr Hunter.’
Robert Home, Hunter’s brother in law, trained under Angelica Kauffman and first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1770.
He left England in 1788 or 9 for India where he remained until his death.
The portrait was owned by John Hunter before 1793, and was among those displayed in his museum in Leicester Square.
Production date 1770 - 1788
Artist
Owner/user
transferred
Physical Location
LocationOn display in the Hunterian Museum, Room 7: St George's Hospital
Physical Information
Physical descriptionOil on canvas, 92cm by 75cm.
Dimensions
unframed height: 920 mm
unframed width: 750 mm
framed height: 1170 mm
framed width: 1013 mm
framed depth: 750 mm
unframed width: 750 mm
framed height: 1170 mm
framed width: 1013 mm
framed depth: 750 mm
Bibliography
SourceClift 1816
NotesManuscript list titled "A List of Paintings and Drawings framed and glazed, numbered according to the Situation in which they were placed round the rail of the Gallery in Mr. Hunter's museum in Castle Street Leicester Square"
Transcript24. A Malay Lady - Painted by Robert Home Esq. She was sent to England for Education; and died of Psoas Abscess. I was informed by R. Haynes that she was a Patient of Mr. Hunter. Robert Home was an Elder Brother of Sir Everard, and died in India but a few years ago. He went to India about forty years since (1788 or 1789?) and was at the Cape of Good Hope on his way out to India, and saw Captain Riou, of the Guardian Frigate, come on Shore fran the Vessel, after she had struck on a floating mass of Ice on her way to Botany Bay (with Convicts (as I understood) some hundred miles to the South of the Cape; and had been kept afloat by constant pumping for some weeks, during which they had neither had time to light a fire or change their clothes. Sir Everard Home has a Copy of a Drawing framed and glazed which I copied for him from the original sketch which belonged to some other Person - I think Dr. Fleming who had many other drawings made in India by Robert Home) and its History written beneath it. Captain Riou was such an interesting and picturesque figure, having one arm in a sling in consequence of an accidental hurt, a beard of some weeks growth, his hair uncombed, his toes through one of his shoes, and hugging his spy-glass with his lame arm; and giving directions with the other "to cut away the steering guys," that it induced Mr. R. Home to make the sketch immediately after. Captain Riou was killed at the Storming of Copenhagen: See his Monument in St. Pauls.
N.B. One of the Sons of Mr. Robert Home came to England about three years ago, i.e. (1837 or 1838) and was present at the funeral of Mr. Hunter's only Daughter, Lady Campbell at Brighton. This Captain or Colonel Home about that time married a daughter of Mr. William Mylne F.R.S. of the New River Head, a first or second cousin: Mr Mylne being the son of Mr. Robert Home's sister.
