湯瑪斯‧勞倫斯爵士（Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1769-1830）是十八世紀末至十九世紀初享譽歐洲的英國肖像畫家，其創作特點為結合自范‧戴克（Anthony van Dyck, 1599-1641）以來的肖像畫傳統和自身獨特的想像力。這幅出自勞倫斯爵士工作室的【裝扮成米蘭達的吉本小姐】據傳是女演員吉本小姐（Ms. Gibbon，生卒年不詳）的父親向畫家請託而來。

畫中身穿低胸露肩粉紅長裙的吉本小姐走在海灘上，面容沉靜平和，整齊上梳的頭髮繫上銀色的髮帶，顯得端莊素雅。她側頭的姿勢和露肩的衣裝正好且凸顯其優雅的頸肩線條，而一手擋在胸前、一手握著隨風飄揚且在空中翻轉的金色絲巾，搭配左腳向前跨步帶出拉長的身形效果，不僅在襯托出吉本小姐曼妙優美的身姿之餘，更流露出宛如古代女神般的典雅氣質。勞倫斯爵士將吉本小姐描繪成莎士比亞（William Shakespeare, 1564-1616）知名劇作《暴風雨》（The Tempest）裡的女主角─米蘭達（Miranda）。她的父親普洛斯彼羅（Prospero）原為米蘭的公爵，但因沉迷於鑽研魔法而被弟弟安東尼奧（Antonio）篡位，並與女兒一同被流放至荒島，期望有朝一日能進行復仇。此作描繪米蘭達在海灘漫步的時刻，但身後烏雲密布的灰藍色天空下，一艘遭到無情巨浪拍打的船隻，則暗示著故事中普洛斯彼羅運用魔法召喚狂風巨浪擊打載著仇人安東尼奧的船隻。 (徐鈺涵)

Thomas Lawrence (1769–1830) was a notable British portrait painter renowned in Europe from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. He combined the portrait tradition since Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) with his own unique imagination. The painter was commissioned by actress Ms. Gibbon’s father to create Portrait of a Woman as Miranda, said to be Miss Gibbon in his studio.

In this piece, Ms. Gibbon is seen walking along the beach with a calm and peaceful expression in a low-cut pink dress that exposes her shoulders. She appears elegant and graceful with her hair bound by a silver headband. Her inclining head and strapless clothes highlight her elegant neck line. With her left foot striding over that pulls out her shape, the golden flying and turning scarf she holds over her chest with one hand and clutches with the other not only accentuates Ms. Gibbon’s graceful figure, but also brings out an elegant temperament of an ancient goddess. Sir Lawrence depicts Ms. Gibbon as Miranda in The Tempest by William Shakespeare (1564-1616).Her father, Prospero, was originally the duke of Milan, but his brother, Antonio, usurped power after becoming absorbed with magic. Prospero is then exiled with his daughter to a barren island and hopes that one day he may avenge on his brother. This painting depicts the moment Miranda walking by the beach. Behind her, under the grayish sky shrouded in dark clouds, a ship is hit by undulating billows, a scene that implies Prospero using his magic to call for winds and billows to strike Antonio’s ship. (Yu Han HSU)