Susannah-Penelope Rosse’s Portraits of her Family and Neighbours

  • Susannah-Penelope Rosse, self-portrait



    Susannah-Penelope Rosse
    Self-portrait
    About 1680
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck to a table-book leaf
    Museum no. 451-1892

    This miniature is inscribed on the back, ‘Mrs Rosse’. The sitter’s hairstyle dates it to about 1680.

  • Susannah-Penelope Rosse, self-portrait



    Susannah-Penelope Rosse (about 1655-1700)
    Self-portrait
    About 1685-90
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck to a table-book leaf
    Inscribed on the back 'Mrs Rosse'
    Museum no. 457-1892

    This self-portrait was painted about five to ten years after the other one featured here.

  • Susannah-Penelope Rosse, portrait of Christopher Rosse



    Susannah-Penelope Rosse (about 1655-1700)
    Portrait of Christopher Rosse
    About 1677
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck to a table-book leaf
    Inscribed on the back 'My Father/Rosse'
    Museum no. 456-1892

    Christopher Rosse (died 1701) was the artist's father-in-law and a jeweller employed at court. He lived in Covent Garden, in Samuel Cooper's former house in Henrietta Street, next door to Susannah.

  • Susannah-Penelope Rosse, portrait of Mrs van Vrybergen



    Susannah-Penelope Rosse (about 1655-1700)
    Portrait of Mrs van Vrybergen, born Anne Gibson
    About 1690-5
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck to a table-book leaf
    Inscribed on the back 'Mrs Vryberge'
    Museum no. 455-1892

    Anne had married a Dutchman but the marriage failed and thereafter she lived with her sister, Susannah. She met her husband while in the Netherlands with her father Richard Gibson. Gibson had accompanied Princess Mary as drawing master when she married William of Orange in 1677.

  • Susannah-Penelope Rosse, portrait of Mrs Priestman



    Susannah-Penelope Rosse (about 1655-1700)
    Portrait of Mrs Priestman (born Mary Rosse)
    About 1690
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck to a table-book leaf
    Inscribed on the back 'Mrs Preistman'
    Museum no. 452-1892

    Mary Priestman was the sister-in-law of the artist. Her husband, Henry Priestman,was a draper and sold woollen cloth.

  • Susannah-Penelope Rosse, portrait of Mrs Pru Phillips



    Susannah-Penelope Rosse (about 1655-1700)
    Portrait of Mrs Pru Phillips
    About 1690
    Watercolour on vellum, stuck to a table-book leaf
    Inscribed on the back 'Mrs Pru Fillips'
    Museum no. 445-1892

    Pru Phillips was a neighbour of the Rosses in Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. She was the wife of William Phillips, who settled on the same side of the street as Susannah in 1688/9.

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