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Lot Essay
Although Ellis Waterhouse (op. cit.), lists the sitter in the present portrait as a 'Miss Clarges', which was the identity it was given when consigned by the family to Christie's in 1878, it would actually appear to be a portrait of Lady Louisa Clarges (1760-1809), the wife of Sir Thomas Clarges, 3rd Bart. (1751-82).
Her descendant, Lady Clarges, sold three portraits by Gainsborough at Christie's on 29 June 1878, the first of which was lot 84, an unfinished three-quarter length portrait of Lady Louisa Clarges playing a harp (Holburne Museum of Art, Bath; fig. 1). The next two lots appear to have been pendant half-length portraits by Gainsborough, both offered with reserves of 75 guineas. The first, lot 85, a portrait identified as Sir Thomas Clarges (whereabouts unknown), failed to sell and the second, lot 86, the present work, which most likely again depicts his wife, Louisa, neé Skrine, sold for 210 guineas, nearly three times its reserve.
Datable to the late 1770s during the artist's years in London, it seems likely that Sir Thomas commissioned pendant portraits of himself and his wife from Gainsborough shortly after their marriage in 1778. Described by her friend, Fanny Burney, as 'sportive, heedless, happy, and when she chose it, captivating', Lady Louisa was an accomplished singer and harpist. She owned several harps and made regular trips to Italy to pursue her musical interests. She and her husband promoted outstanding foreign musicians in England. The artist, an extremely enthusiastic and accomplished amateur musician himself, would almost certainly have responded warmly to their shared love of music. It is likely that he offered to paint a portrait of Lady Louisa playing her harp, shortly after the pair of half-lengths, although it remained unfinished presumably due to the pressure of work.
Little biographical information is known about Louisa - she was probably the natural daughter of John, 4th Earl of Sandwich, and Jane Sumner and was adopted by Sir William Skrine when he married her mother.
Her descendant, Lady Clarges, sold three portraits by Gainsborough at Christie's on 29 June 1878, the first of which was lot 84, an unfinished three-quarter length portrait of Lady Louisa Clarges playing a harp (Holburne Museum of Art, Bath; fig. 1). The next two lots appear to have been pendant half-length portraits by Gainsborough, both offered with reserves of 75 guineas. The first, lot 85, a portrait identified as Sir Thomas Clarges (whereabouts unknown), failed to sell and the second, lot 86, the present work, which most likely again depicts his wife, Louisa, neé Skrine, sold for 210 guineas, nearly three times its reserve.
Datable to the late 1770s during the artist's years in London, it seems likely that Sir Thomas commissioned pendant portraits of himself and his wife from Gainsborough shortly after their marriage in 1778. Described by her friend, Fanny Burney, as 'sportive, heedless, happy, and when she chose it, captivating', Lady Louisa was an accomplished singer and harpist. She owned several harps and made regular trips to Italy to pursue her musical interests. She and her husband promoted outstanding foreign musicians in England. The artist, an extremely enthusiastic and accomplished amateur musician himself, would almost certainly have responded warmly to their shared love of music. It is likely that he offered to paint a portrait of Lady Louisa playing her harp, shortly after the pair of half-lengths, although it remained unfinished presumably due to the pressure of work.
Little biographical information is known about Louisa - she was probably the natural daughter of John, 4th Earl of Sandwich, and Jane Sumner and was adopted by Sir William Skrine when he married her mother.