Elizabeth Delaval, Lady Audley (1757 - 1785), holding a book, with a water-spaniel, in a landscape
attributed to Edward Alcock (fl.1745 - 1778)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1775 - 1778
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
914 x 559 mm (36 x 22 in)
Order this imageCollection
Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland
NT 1276774
Caption
The frame tablet on this portrait identifies the sitter as Susanna Robinson (1730 – 1783), but comparison with a similar picture in a private collection has shown that she is, in fact, from the next generation of Delavals. The sitter is, in fact, the daughter of Susanna. She married George Thicknesse, Baron Audley in May 1781, as his first wife, and bore him three children. The title was inherited from the Baron’s maternal side, which caused much resentment on the part of his father, who publicly accused him of seducing the daughter of a clergyman. Elizabeth fell ill in the summer of 1785 and died on 11th July, aged 27. The artist was probably the Alcock living and working in Bath in 1757. In 1759/60 he was living at Birmingham, and by 1778 he was in London 1778. His signed and dated portraits range from 1762 to 1774, including neat, small full-lengths in the style of Devis.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Elizabeth Delaval, Lady Audley (1757 - 1785), holding a book, with a water-spaniel, in a landscape, attributed to Edward Alcock (fl.1745 - 1778). Full-length, wearing a yellow dress with a pink and white cape, holding a book in her right hand, her left resting on a plinth, and accompanied by her dog; landscape background, drapery right and top, with Seaton Delaval shown background right.
Full description
Married George Thicknesse-Touchet, Baron Audley in May 1781, and bore him three issue. The title was inherited from the Baron’s maternal side, which caused much resentment on the part of his father, who publicly accused him of seducing the daughter of a clergyman. Elizabeth fell ill in the summer of 1785 and died on 11th July, aged 27. [see M. Green, The Delavals. A Family History, Newcastle, 2007, pp.98 – 99] The attribution was suggested by Anthony Mould. The artist was probably the Alcock living and working in Bath in 1757. In 1759/60 he was living at Birmingham, and by 1778 he was in London 1778. He must be the Alcock (no initial) who exhibited small portraits and genre pictures at the RA in 1778. His signed and dated portraits range from 1762 to 1774, including neat, small full-lengths in the style of Devis (cf., in particular, the portrait of Giles Bridges, Duke of Chandos (30 x 25 ins., sold Doyles, N.Y., January 24th 2001, lot 101), which shares the same attenuation of the body, pinched facial features, and the setting of the figure in context). There is a better-executed version in a private collection, identified as Elizabeth Delaval, Lady Audley; cf. also the group portrait by the same artist, in the same collection, showing her standing, in the middle, and in which she also holds a book in her right hand, and wears a similar dress. The re-identification of the sitter derives from the more trustworthy inscription on these portraits, rather than the 20th tablet on the Seaton Delaval picture.
Provenance
accepted in lieu of tax by H.M. Treasury and transferred to the National Trust in 2009.
Marks and inscriptions
Frame tablet: SUSANNA ROBINSON b.1730 d.1783 daughter / of Ralph Robinson and Margaret Delaval / and wife of John, Lord Delaval / TILLY KETTLE
Makers and roles
attributed to Edward Alcock (fl.1745 - 1778), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Tilly Kettle (1735 - Aleppo 1786), artist previously catalogued as attributed to William Bell (c.1735 - 1794), artist Hugh Barron (London c.1747 – London 1791), artist