DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68073#0398
372
OLD WORLD MASTERS
bequeathed the portrait to H. R. H. Prince Albert, the late Prince
Consort.
“ The Duchess of Gloucester sat for the last time to Reynolds in 1779,
for a group of herself and her daughter, Princess Sophia Matilda.”
GEORGIANA, DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE.
Thomas Gainsborough Collection of
(1727-1788). Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Satterlee.
She stands here—proud, elegant, disdainful, stylish, aristocratic,
beautiful, and altogether charming, in her dashing, large, black hat
worn at a debonnaire angle, white dress, and light petticoat and light
blue sash, looking at us with the most marvellous eyes ever put upon
canvas and a mouth that matches them in such naturalness that we
expect the Duchess to smile at any moment. Her eyes have such fire
and sparkle that they pierce right through us. It is hard to believe
that we are looking upon a painted portrait—it must be the Duchess
herself who gives us that alert, penetrating, fiery, and mocking glance.
This picture has had a most romantic history. It is the famous
“Lost Duchess,” stolen in London, and found after twenty-five years
in America.
The Duchess, in some unknown way, fell into the hands of a Mrs.
Maginnis, an old schoolmistress, who had it cut down to fit the space
over the chimney-piece in her sitting-room and burned up the cut-off
piece. Mr. Bentley, a dealer bought the picture from Mrs. Maginnis
for £56 and then sold it to Mr. Wynn Ellis, a wealthy City merchant,
who sent this Portrait of a Lady to be engraved by Messrs. Henry
Graves & Co. This firm, having already engraved the Clifden Duchess
of Devonshire, at once identified the subject. When the Wynn Ellis
Sale took place at Christie’s, June 6, 1876, this portrait created a
great deal of excitement. It was catalogued as follows:
“T. Gainsborough, R. A. The Duchess of Devonshire, in a white
dress and blue silk petticoat and sash, large black hat and feathers,
59X x 45 inches.”
OLD WORLD MASTERS
bequeathed the portrait to H. R. H. Prince Albert, the late Prince
Consort.
“ The Duchess of Gloucester sat for the last time to Reynolds in 1779,
for a group of herself and her daughter, Princess Sophia Matilda.”
GEORGIANA, DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE.
Thomas Gainsborough Collection of
(1727-1788). Mr. and Mrs. Herbert L. Satterlee.
She stands here—proud, elegant, disdainful, stylish, aristocratic,
beautiful, and altogether charming, in her dashing, large, black hat
worn at a debonnaire angle, white dress, and light petticoat and light
blue sash, looking at us with the most marvellous eyes ever put upon
canvas and a mouth that matches them in such naturalness that we
expect the Duchess to smile at any moment. Her eyes have such fire
and sparkle that they pierce right through us. It is hard to believe
that we are looking upon a painted portrait—it must be the Duchess
herself who gives us that alert, penetrating, fiery, and mocking glance.
This picture has had a most romantic history. It is the famous
“Lost Duchess,” stolen in London, and found after twenty-five years
in America.
The Duchess, in some unknown way, fell into the hands of a Mrs.
Maginnis, an old schoolmistress, who had it cut down to fit the space
over the chimney-piece in her sitting-room and burned up the cut-off
piece. Mr. Bentley, a dealer bought the picture from Mrs. Maginnis
for £56 and then sold it to Mr. Wynn Ellis, a wealthy City merchant,
who sent this Portrait of a Lady to be engraved by Messrs. Henry
Graves & Co. This firm, having already engraved the Clifden Duchess
of Devonshire, at once identified the subject. When the Wynn Ellis
Sale took place at Christie’s, June 6, 1876, this portrait created a
great deal of excitement. It was catalogued as follows:
“T. Gainsborough, R. A. The Duchess of Devonshire, in a white
dress and blue silk petticoat and sash, large black hat and feathers,
59X x 45 inches.”