| Method | Mezzotint |
| Artist | Samuel De Wilde after Sir Joshua Reynolds |
| Published | Printed for John Bowles. at No. 13 Cornhil [c. 1771] |
| Dimensions | Image 322 x 252 mm, Plate 353 x 252 mm, Sheet 468 x 290 mm |
| Notes |
A sweet double portrait of Georgiana Cavendish and her mother. The child is standing atop a table, embraced by the Lady Spencer, and her dog playing next to her. Margaret Georgiana Spencer is wearing a dress with lots of lace, while her daughter has on a simple dress and bonnet. The mother and daughter were very close, which was evident in Georgiana's parents being saddened when she left the familial home to get married, and in the many letters the two ladies exchanged afterwards. Margaret Georgiana Spencer, Countess Spencer (1737 - 1814) was the daughter of Rt Hon Stephen Poyntz, and in 1755, she married John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer. The two were noted philanthropists, and they became earl and countess in 1765, a reward granted by the Duke of Newcastle for John's political loyalty to the Whig party. Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806) was the daughter of Margaret Georgiana Spencer and the 1st Earl of Spencer. She married William Cavendish, the 5th Duke of Devonshire in 1774. Her marriage was an unhappy one, as the Duke was reserved, often absent, and had many affairs. He had fathered an illegitimate daughter before his marriage, which Georgiana only found out years after she had married William, and when the child's mother died, she took over her care. The couple met Elizabeth "Bess" Foster on a trip to Bath and the two women soon became close friends. The Duke eventually took Elizabeth as his mistress and she moved in with the couple. Despite this, Georgiana and Elizabeth remained close friends throughout their life. After Georgiana's death in 1806, the Duke married Elizabeth. Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) was one of the most important figures of the eighteenth century art world. He was the first President of the Royal Academy and Britain's leading portrait painter. Through a series of lectures on the Discourses on Art at the Royal Academy he defined the style later known as the Grand Manner, an idealised Classical aesthetic. He had a profound impact on the theory and practice of art and helped to raise the status of portrait painting into the realm of fine art. A flamboyant socialite, Reynolds used his social contacts to promote himself and advance his career becoming one of the most prominent portrait painters of the period. Samuel De Wilde (1751-1832) was a Dutch-born portraitist and printmaker. His family moved to London quickly after his birth, where he would remain throughout his life. He studied at the Royal Academy and exhibited there often after graduating. He produced several plates for The Satirist and his own mezzotints and etchings under the pseudonym 'Paul' or 'J. S. Paul'. Chaloner Smith 8, Russell 8, Hamilton 133, Lennox-Boyd ii/ii Condition: Slightly rubbed impression but with excellent full margins. Light overall time toning to sheet. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £380.00 |
| Stock ID | 47738 |