Terms and Conditions
The artist, title and date of the work must be listed anywhere the image is reproduced:
Joseph Highmore
Pamela fainting (1743-1744)
oil on canvas
63.5 × 76.2 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1921
Photo: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
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Pamela fainting
(1743-1744)
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
63.5 × 76.2 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1921
Gallery location
17th to 18th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
In 1743–44 Joseph Highmore created twelve paintings based on Samuel Richardson’s popular novel Pamela (1740–41). These paintings are now divided equally between the Tate Gallery, London, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge and the National Gallery of Victoria. Pamela tells the story of a maidservant, Pamela Andrews, who resisted the lustful attempts of her young master, Squire B., to seduce her (as seen here). She eventually converts him to goodness, and her virtue is rewarded by a marriage above her status.
Artwork Details
Accession Number
1114-3
Department
International Painting
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Dame Carol Colburn-Grigor CBE through Metal Manufactures Limited
Subjects (general)
Human Figures Literary and Text Relationships and Interactions
Subjects (specific)
bedrooms bonnets (hats) fainting literary characters maids (servants) seductions social classes virtue
Movements
Rococo
Frame
Original, surface not original
Frame
Joseph Highmore painted twelve scenes from Samuel Richards novel Pamela (1740-41) of which four are in the collection of the NGV.
The paintings date to 1743-44. The four paintings are housed in nearly identical frames.
The frame on this painting, Pamela fainting is slightly at variance with the other three, either through restoration or being a later reproduction to fit the group.
The painting was cleaned in 2002.
Frame Details
Framemaker
Unknown - 18th century