This portrait of Sarah Lethieullier portrayed as the mythological figure Diana is one of a pair commissioned by her husband Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh. Its complimentary painting is a portrait of himself dressed as a hunter.
Portrait
Elizabeth Louisa Penelope Theobald, Countess of Stamford (d.1959) and her two children, Roger Grey, later 10th Earl of Stamford (1896-1976) and Lady Jane Grey, later Lady Turnbull (1899-1991) by John Ernest Breun (1862-1921)
This elegant family portrait commemorates Mothering Sunday which falls this year on 11th March. Elizabeth Theobald was the wife of Roger Grey who, in 1890 on the death of his first cousin Harry Grey, 8th Earl of Stamford in Africa, inherited the titles of Earl of Stamford and Baron Grey of Groby and the 3,000-acre estate at Dunham Massey. They married in London in 1895 when Elizabeth was 30 and Roger fifteen years her senior. Within a year of their wedding they had a son, Roger, and in 1899 a daughter, Jane.
Helen of Troy by Frederick Sandys (1829-1904)
In the myths of Ancient Greece Helen of Troy was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. She has since has been a source of inspiration for artists who frequently represent her as the personification of ideal beauty.
George Harry Grey, Lord Grey of Groby, later 5th Earl of Stamford (1737-1819) and his Travelling Companion, Sir Henry Mainwaring, 4th Bt (1726-1797) by Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland RA (1735 –1811)
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it was usual for upper class young men of sufficient means to undertake a Grand Tour of Europe. The trip served as a rite of passage, exposing the young men to the cultural and artistic highlights of the Renaissance and thus extending their education and worldliness.
A Gentleman and a Miner (Captain Morcom and Thomas Daniell) by John Opie (1761-1807)
In 1786 John Opie was already known as a successful portrait painter and had been given the epithet “The Cornish Wonder”. But he harboured ambitions to capture more than just likenesses. He dreamt of finding renown as a painter of historical scenes, which are considered in art history to be a more prestigious subject matter.
Rudyard Kipling by John Maler Collier (1850-1934)
On the third Sunday of June each year we celebrate Father’s Day and the important role which fathers play in our society. Although the day itself does not have a long tradition, originating at some point after the Second World War, it is now widely celebrated with many nations having an equivalent.
The Reverend Thomas Wilson (1703–1784) and Miss Catherine Macaulay (1731–1791) by Joseph Wright of Derby
The lucrative nature of the portraiture business in Georgian England ensured that it was a highly competitive area. Artists worked hard to win favour amongst the elite classes.
Margaret Field, Mrs James Samuel Beale by Sir William Nicholson (1872 – 1949)
Mothering Sunday was once the day on which people would visit their “mother” church but has now become an occasion for honouring the mothers of children and giving them presents.
Lady Gertrude Lucia Egerton (1861–1943), Countess of Albemarle by Michele Gordigiani (1830–1909)
This large and striking portrait of Lady Egerton was completed in 1894 by the noted Florentine artist Michele Gordigiani. The painting was commissioned by Gertrude’s father, Earl Egerton of Tatton to mark her marriage to Arnold Keppel, 8th Earl of Albemarle. Gordigiani trained at the Academy I Florence. He served his apprenticeship in the studio of Luigi Mussini and moved to Paris in 1860 at the invitation of the Countess of Castiglione.
Marianne Brocklehurst on Horseback by Henry Calvert (1798–1869)
West Park Museum in Macclesfield houses an eclectic and intriguing mix of artefacts. In pride of place is this portrait of the museum’s founder, Marianne Brocklehurst. Marianne was aged 21 when renowned Royal Academician Henry Calvert captured her likeness. Pictured on horseback, her head tilted in an inquisitive manner, she stares towards the distant horizon.
The daughter of a Macclesfield mill owner, Miss Brocklehurst was a keen adventurer and, unusually for a young woman of her era, travelled extensively, often with her companion, Miss Mary Booth. Known collectively as ‘the MBs’ they were inspired by Marianne’s friendship with Amelia Edwards, founder of the Egypt Exploration Society, to make three trips to Egypt, visiting excavations at many important locations. (more…)
Michael Escolme 