Portrait of a lady traditionally identified as Miss Dering (d. 1816), bust-length, in an ochre silk dress and lace collar

The present portrait almost certainly depicts Mary Dering, daughter of Sir Edward Dering, 5th Bt. (1711-1762) of Surrendon-Dering. She married Sir Robert D'Arcy Hildyard, 4th Bt. of Patrington, Winestead, who served as High Sheriff for Yorkshire in 1783. Cotes also painted Mary's sister-in-law, Deborah Winchester, Lady Dering, in 1767 (now in the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh). Lady Dering was the daughter of John Winchester, M.D., of Nethersole House, Barham Downs, Kent, and married Mary's brother, Sir Edward Dering, 6th Bt., in 1765.
An oil portrait of Mary Dering by Cotes sold Christie's South Kensington, 25 April 2007, lot 124.

We are grateful to Neil Jeffares for his contribution to this catalogue entry.