A Lady

Object Type

Oil-painted portraits of noble or wealthy men and women became increasingly common in the 17th century, as Britain became more prosperous through trade and many more citizens were granted titles by the King. The pictures nearly always show the sitters splendidly dressed in the height of expensive fashion, often in order to emphasise their new wealth, status or nobility.

People

If the identity of a sitter for a portrait of this period is lost, it is often surprisingly difficult to recover it. Owners may be tempted to identify their pictures as being of someone famous, especially if the costume is very sumptuous. This splendid portrait was until recently thought to be of Charlotte de la Trémoille (1599-1664), Countess of Derby, but the woman depicted is too young.

Subjects Depicted