.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This charmingly intimate and elegant drawing by Lawrence depicts the nieces of the Duke of Wellington, Lawrence's most celebrated sitter. They were the daughters of William, Lord Maryborough and later 3rd Earl of Mornington, brother of the Duke of Wellington, and Katharine Elizabeth (d. 1851), eldest daughter of Admiral John Forbes.
Mary married Sir Charles Bagot on 22 July 1806 and had three sons and five daughters. On the appointment of Sir Charles as Governor-General of British North America on 12 January 1842 she assumed the title of 'Her Excellency' in Montreal in August 1842. After her husband's death at Kingston, Ontario on 18 May 1843, she accompanied his remains back to England. She died in London on 2 February 1845.
Emily married Lord FitzRoy Somerset, later 1st Baron Raglan on 6 August 1814, they had two sons, the Hon. Arthur William FitzRoy Somerset and Richard Henry FitzRoy Somerset, 2nd Baron Raglan, and two daughters - the Hon. Charlotte and Cecily Emily Somerset.
Priscilla Anne married John Fane, Lord Burghersh, later Earl of Westmorland on 26 June 1811. He was at the time serving under her uncle, the Duke of Wellington. In 1814 Burghersh was appointed to the diplomatic service and his wife's salon became an important venue for the exchange of sensitive and political information, not least on account of the fact that she was the niece and close correspondent of the Duke of Wellington.
She was also a talented artist and in 1842 and 1857 she sent two paintings of religious subjects for exhibition at the British Institution. A picture of her grandmother Anne, Countess of Mornington, Surrounded by the Effigies of her Sons was engraved as well as Wellington writing the Waterloo Dispatch, in 1840 (see lots 66 and 73).
In 1841 Lord Burghersh was appointed to Berlin, where they remained for nine years, until he was promoted to a post in Vienna in 1851. They remained there until they retired to the family estate at Apethorpe, Northamptonshire in 1855. Lady Burghersh's health declined from 1863 and she died at home in London in 1879 and is buried at Apethorpe.
Garlick, loc.cit. lists a replica of the present drawing in the collection of the Duke of Wellington at Stratfield Saye House and three other versions of the heads. Lawrence painted Lady Burghersh with her son in Florence in 1820 (Garlick, op.cit., p. 44).
Mary married Sir Charles Bagot on 22 July 1806 and had three sons and five daughters. On the appointment of Sir Charles as Governor-General of British North America on 12 January 1842 she assumed the title of 'Her Excellency' in Montreal in August 1842. After her husband's death at Kingston, Ontario on 18 May 1843, she accompanied his remains back to England. She died in London on 2 February 1845.
Emily married Lord FitzRoy Somerset, later 1st Baron Raglan on 6 August 1814, they had two sons, the Hon. Arthur William FitzRoy Somerset and Richard Henry FitzRoy Somerset, 2nd Baron Raglan, and two daughters - the Hon. Charlotte and Cecily Emily Somerset.
Priscilla Anne married John Fane, Lord Burghersh, later Earl of Westmorland on 26 June 1811. He was at the time serving under her uncle, the Duke of Wellington. In 1814 Burghersh was appointed to the diplomatic service and his wife's salon became an important venue for the exchange of sensitive and political information, not least on account of the fact that she was the niece and close correspondent of the Duke of Wellington.
She was also a talented artist and in 1842 and 1857 she sent two paintings of religious subjects for exhibition at the British Institution. A picture of her grandmother Anne, Countess of Mornington, Surrounded by the Effigies of her Sons was engraved as well as Wellington writing the Waterloo Dispatch, in 1840 (see lots 66 and 73).
In 1841 Lord Burghersh was appointed to Berlin, where they remained for nine years, until he was promoted to a post in Vienna in 1851. They remained there until they retired to the family estate at Apethorpe, Northamptonshire in 1855. Lady Burghersh's health declined from 1863 and she died at home in London in 1879 and is buried at Apethorpe.
Garlick, loc.cit. lists a replica of the present drawing in the collection of the Duke of Wellington at Stratfield Saye House and three other versions of the heads. Lawrence painted Lady Burghersh with her son in Florence in 1820 (Garlick, op.cit., p. 44).