Thomas Hudson
, English, 1701-1779
Title
Portrait of Diana, Countess of Mountrath (1696-1766), Wife of the 6th EarlDate1746
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions
124 x 99 cm
Signedlower left: Tho. Hudson pinxit 1746
Credit LinePurchased, 1888
Object numberNGI.293
ProvenanceEarl of Hardwicke Wimpole Hall, Cambridge; purchased, Christie's, London, 30 June 1888, Earl of Hardwicke saleLabel TextHudson was a successful portrait painter in England in the mid-eighteenth century. To keep up with the demand for portraits, he employed the Flemish artist Joseph van Aken to paint the drapery in his commissions. Diana Coote’s costume, in this portrait, reveals her status and wealth. Pearls and lace were desirable and expensive luxuries in eighteenth-century Britain. Diana wears strands of pearls across her bodice and woven through her hair, as well as pearl earrings and sleeve clasps. Her dress is also embellished with intricate lace sleeve ruffles and a lace-trimmed neckline.