Francis Cotes (1726-1770) - Portrait of a Lady - NG4689 - Tate

Francis Cotes was an English painter born in London in 1726. He was the son of a successful apothecary and was educated at the St Martin's Lane Academy. Cotes began his career as a portrait painter and his early work was strongly influenced by the style of the French Rococo painter Jean-Baptiste Greuze. Cotes quickly gained a reputation as one of the leading portrait painters of his day and was commissioned to paint many prominent figures of the day, including members of the Royal Family. His portraits were known for their delicate, refined style and he was particularly skilled at capturing the subtle nuances of his subjects' expressions. In addition to portraiture, Cotes also painted genre scenes and landscapes. He was a member of the Royal Academy and regularly exhibited his work there. Cotes died in 1770 at the age of 44, leaving a legacy as one of the most talented portrait painters of his generation.

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