Terms and conditions of use
Pamela preparing to go home
(1743-1744)
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Measurements
- 63.5 × 76.2 cm
- Accession Number
- 1115-3
- Department
- International Painting
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1921
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited - Gallery location
- 17th to 18th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International - About this work
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In Samuel Richardson’s novel Pamela, in order to avoid further threats to her virtue, decides to leave Danby Hall, where the lecherous Squire B. employs her. We see her preparing to depart. At her feet are the sumptuous clothes offered to her by Squire B., which she refuses to accept, as they would be ‘the price of my shame’. Instead, she clutches her own poor rags to her chest.
- Subjects (general)
- Human Figures Literary and Text Relationships and Interactions
- Subjects (specific)
- bonnets (hats) departures gesture literary characters maids (servants) seductions social classes virtue
- Movements
- Rococo
- Frame
- Original, surface not original
Frame
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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 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.
- Framemaker
- Unknown - 18th century