Sir Thomas Lawrence (British, 1769–1830) | The Calmady Children (Emily, 1818–?1906, and Laura Anne, 1820–1894) | 1823

Sir Thomas Lawrence, a noted British portraitist and the fourth president of the Royal Academy, was born on this day in 1769. This portrait—shown at the Royal Academy, and engraved under the title “Nature”—has always been one of Lawrence’s most popular works. He once described it as “my best picture… one of the few I should wish hereafter to be known by.”

Sir Thomas Lawrence (British, 1769–1830) | The Calmady Children (Emily, 1818–?1906, and Laura Anne, 1820–1894) | 1823 http://met.org/1N6LqCo