Friday, September 23, 2011

Reynolds and Regalia

Who says you can't look good in the family uniform?  It may be a lot of red and gold but Joshua Reynolds helped some peers pull it off.  Which begs the question: Who wore it best?

Lord and Lady Pollington and their son, John, 1761-4
Anne Fitzroy, Duchess of Grafton, 1757-9
Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, 1757-9
The Harcourt Family, 1780
James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale, 1759
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, 1761
Isabella Countess of Erroll, 1763
Jane, Duchess of Gordon, 1778
Thomas Lawrence, Philadelphia Hannah, 1st Viscountess Cremorne, 1789
*Not a Reynolds, I know, but I couldn't resist this portrait's inclusion

16 comments:

  1. Very nice, rocking the uniform, well except the first Earl of Bath. Is that an extra large bath towel, old man?

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  2. The ladies (and gents) look very regal in their uniforms.

    I know this is wird, but it is a while ago since you have written about a tart.
    Could you write about Sarah Siddons, she sounds very facinating :-)

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  3. Lady Pollington of course! Subtle, tender - and proud. Was she of a noble birth?

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  4. I think i like it best on Lady Pollington :)

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  5. I think I prefer the Duchess of Northumberland myself.

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  6. I can't choose! They all look so good and regal in their uniform!

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  7. When I saw the first portrait I said to myself: What a nice beautiful girl, she is wearing such a lovely dress with such a pretty hat and then I read: Lord and Lady Pollington and their SON , John, 1761-4! LOL

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  8. Lord and Lady Pollington, absolutely. It doesn't look like they're just trying to wear their colours--it looks comfortable and (dare I say it) rather modern. Isabella also pulls it off smashingly.

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  9. Hmmmmmmm......The Harcourt family for just sheer red and gold-ness, I think, but the Pollingtons look the most comfortable in their finery. I have to ask though, is Philadelphia Hannah her whole name or an alias? Sounds like something off a Wanted poster. I could google it but it's still early. Plus I'm too fixated at the moment on James Maitland's tiny head.

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  10. I like Anne Fitzroy, Duchess of Grafton, 1757-9.

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  11. I just can't decide. Even Mr. Bath towel looks good in his own right. At least to me. Rather like full regalia in the Scots tradition. You can put a little, wizened old man in full regalia kilt and it just does something to them...

    Was Hanna in mourning though when that picture was painted? The dress is beautiful but oh, so somber.

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  12. I think they ALL look super gorge and I wouldn't mind wearing one of them red heavy cloaks too. With the sceptre please.

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  13. The Pollingtons,followed by Isabella, followed by Anne! They all look at ease and comfortable, they are definitely wearing the clothes rather than the other way around.

    The Harcourts look stiff and bored and what is going on with James Maitland's proportions!

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  14. Dear Heather! What do you think about Lady Chatham, wife of William Pitt the Elder?
    http://static.bbci.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/images/paintings/gac/large/gac_gac_9679_large.jpg

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  15. Very nice! Who painted it and when?

    @Nightsmusic, I am not actually sure! I honestly don't know much about the painting, but it is fantastic isn't it?

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  16. Heather, if you're asking about lady Chatham's portrait - it was painted by William Hoar in 1766.

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