Lydia
- Artist: Rev. Matthew William Peters
- Date: c.1777
- Medium: Oil paint on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 642 x 770 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “Lydia” by Rev. Matthew William Peters, painted around 1777. Peters, a portraitist turned clergyman, pushed the limits of taste with this oil on canvas. The picture shows a semi‑nude woman lying on a bed, her eyes daring the viewer. One hand is playfully hidden, a wink that made audiences gasp and laugh all at once.
The work caused a stir when Peters exhibited it at the Royal Academy in 1777, where a critic quipped, “it is a good picture, and makes every gentleman stand for some time.” The piece was titled “A Woman in Bed” at the show, and the critics were as amused as they were scandalised, noting that the woman’s leering gaze could be best suited to a private chamber rather than a public gallery.
Peters later became an ordained priest and reportedly regretted painting such erotic subjects. Ironically, he earned the nickname “the Reverend Painter of Venuses,” linking his depictions of desirable women to the goddess of love.
“Lydia” is one of four known versions that Peters painted for Richard Grosvenor, 1st Earl Grosvenor. A mezzotint of the painting was printed in 1776, and the image was popular enough to be reproduced in prints and other copies. The painting remains a striking reminder of how 18th‑century British art could push boundaries while still drawing the eye of every gentleman in the room.
See it in person
Lydia is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
