Isabella, Dowager Viscountess Harwarden (née Monck) (1759-1851), seated in a red upholstered chair, wearing cyan blue dress with cream lace collar and cuffs, the blue waistband held with a sapphire and pearl buckle, black lace shawl, white turban over her ringlets, held with a ribbon bow beneath her chin, she holds in her right hand an eye glass on a gold chain about her neck, red curtain and woodland beyond.
Signed on the reverse, dated and inscribed Upp^r Charlotte S^t/ Fitzroy Sq^r/ Painted by W. C. Ross/ 1823/ Portrait of Isabella/ Dow.^r Viscountess Hawarden/ N^o.6, gilt-metal frame.
Rectangular, 107mm (4 3/16in) high
Provenance: Christie's, 16 November 1976, lot 42
Purchased in 1977
Exhibited: Royal Academy, London, 1824, no.684
Art on The Line: The Royal Academy Exhibitions at Somerset House 1780-1836, The Courtauld Gallery, 18 October 2001-20 January 2002
Raeburn's Rival: Archibald Skirving 1749-1819, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 22 January - 5 April 1999, no.136
Portrait Miniatures from the Merchiston Collection, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 23 September – 11 December 2005, no.59
Literature: Stephen Lloyd, Exhibition Catalogue, 1999, p.72-3
Stephen Lloyd, Exhibition Catalogue, 2005, p.48-9 and 75, ill.col.pl.17