Hon Barbara St John, Countess of Coventry
1723-92
Threequarter length, standing wearing Peeress's robes; oil on canvas, 50 ins by 40 ins
Collection Details
At some time entered the collection of James Price, from whom it was bought privately by Agnew and sold to Sir Julian Goldsmid; his sale, Christie’s, 13 June 1896, lot 68, repd: bt by Agnew for Alexander Henderson, later 1st Lord Faringdon.
Literature
E Hamilton, Engraved Works of Reynolds, 1884, p. 92; Graves and Cronin, Reynolds, 1899–1901, i, p. 201; Sir W Armstrong, Reynolds, 1900, p. 200; E K Waterhouse, Reynolds, 1941, p. 54.
Exhibition Details
RA, Winter, 1896, No. 30; Brussels, International Exhibition, Cinq Siècles d’Art, 1935, No. 1125; Birmingham Art Gallery, Reynolds, 1961, No. 40.
Engraved
J. Watson (mezzotint); J. Dixon; Spicer.
Background
Barbara, 4th daughter of Lord St John of Bletsoe, b.1737; married in 1764 as his second wife 6th Earl of Coventry, who had previously been married to the famous beauty, Maria Gunning; d.1804.
She sat as Miss St John, 3, 29 September 1764, and as Lady Coventry, 1 October 1764. Paid for (50 gns) 29 July 1765.
The Trustees of the Faringdon Collection 24.
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