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

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16 comments:

  1. Retro BlogSeptember 23, 2011 at 10:11 AM

    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. VioletSeptember 23, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    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. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2011 at 11:30 AM

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

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  4. MSeptember 23, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    I think i like it best on Lady Pollington :)

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  5. Olympe de la Tour D'AuvergneSeptember 23, 2011 at 2:02 PM

    I think I prefer the Duchess of Northumberland myself.

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  6. gioSeptember 23, 2011 at 2:49 PM

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

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  7. Miss HonnêteSeptember 23, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    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. CarrotsSeptember 23, 2011 at 7:46 PM

    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. CherylynnSeptember 24, 2011 at 9:17 AM

    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. auroraSeptember 24, 2011 at 2:13 PM

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

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  11. nightsmusicSeptember 24, 2011 at 5:58 PM

    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. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2011 at 6:31 AM

    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. AnonymousSeptember 27, 2011 at 3:25 AM

    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. AnonymousSeptember 29, 2011 at 2:12 AM

    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. Heather CarrollSeptember 29, 2011 at 4:34 AM

    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. AnonymousSeptember 29, 2011 at 2:19 PM

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

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