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Portrait of Mary, Countess of Plymouth
ca. 1817
Artwork Viewer
Mary,
Countess of Plymouth (1792-1864) was descended from the Sackville family, at
whose country house, Knole, this portrait and its pendant once hung. Thomas
Lawrence created an idealized but seemingly natural likeness of the countess,
portrayed with flushed cheeks and loose curls in a comparatively simple
costume, free of embellishment. Threatening clouds in the background, a
hallmark of the painter’s Romantic style, offer a vivid contrast to the
sitter’s serene bearing. At Knole, displayed alongside staid, formal depictions
of illustrious Sackville ancestors, Lawrence’s portraits must have looked
startlingly modern.
- Artist
- Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830)
- Title
- Portrait of Mary, Countess of Plymouth
- Date
- ca. 1817
- Place of Creation
- England
- Object Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 30 1/4 x 25 in. (76.8 x 63.5 cm)
- Credit Line
- Bequest of Donald McLeod Lewis in memory of Mabelle McLeod Lewis
- Accession Number
- 64.48