(Irish, 1675-1739)

Countess of Burlington, a 17th/18th century detail from the the 3/4 length portrait attributed to Charles Jervas at Chatsworth House, unsigned, oil on canvas, 24 x 19-7/8 in.; a Bolection type leaf carved and gilt wood frame, 29-1/4 x 24-7/8 x 1-3/4 in., accompanied by a recent frame plate 

Provenance: Edmund and Moira Rosser-Rees, Beaufort House, Grosvenor, Bath, England, 1987, sold for BP 800; Virginia Private Collection

Note: Charles Jervas, the Irish portraitist and translator of Don Quixote, painted a portrait of Lady Dorothy Savile around the time of her marriage to Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington. An accomplished artist herself, Lady Dorothy was deeply engaged in the cultural life of her time, sharing with her husband a strong commitment to music, theatre, and the visual arts. Admired for her intellect and independence, she was a close associate of leading literary figures, including Alexander Pope, who referred to her affectionately as “Pallas.” Jervas, who succeeded Sir Godfrey Kneller as Principal Portrait Painter to the Crown, was known for his refined style and literary associations. Lady Dorothy outlived both her husband and children, and her family legacy endures in the naming of London’s Savile Row.