The dating of the present portrait is based on a portrait of Mary I by the Anglo-Netherlandish artist Hans Eworth (see exhibition catalogue Dynasties. Painting in Tudor and Jacobean England 1530-1630, Tate Britain, 1995-96, p. 67). The present sitter, probably a member of the court of Mary I, is depicted in a similar black gown with gold aglets and headdress, but without the cloth of gold and gold thread seen in the portrait of the Queen. A similar dress with gold aglets can be seen in Eworth's portrait of Lady Mary Neville and her son Gregory Fiennes, 10th Baron Dacre (dated 1559) on p. 68 of the aforementioned exhibition catalogue. This double portrait is now in the National Portrait Gallery, London, inv. no. 6855.
We are indebted to Karen Hearn for her help in the preparation of this catalogue entry.