Thomas Beach, R.A.

three quarter length, standing, wearing a black dress, her left hand resting on a plinth, a landscape beyond

STRUCTURE The canvas has been lined. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in good condition. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light reveals a thick layer of opaque varnish overall. FRAME Held in a British Rococo carved and gilded frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The sitter was the only daughter of the Rev. Philip Twisden, Bishop of Raphoe in Donegal, and his second wife Frances, daughter of Thomas Carter of Robertstown and Rathnally, County Meath. On 26^th March 1770 she married George Bussy Villiers, 4^th Earl of Jersey (1735-1805), Extra Lord of the Bedchamber, of Middleton Park in Oxfordshire. The couple had at least seven daughters and three sons, the eldest of which, George (1773-1859), later 5^th Earl, married Lady Sarah Sophia Fane, daughter of John Fane, 10^th Earl of Westmorland and his wife Sarah Anne Child of Osterley Park. Under the terms of her grandfather's will Sarah was the sole heir to the great Child's Bank fortune and the 5^th Earl took the name Child-Villiers following their marriage in 1804.

In 1795 Frances was appointed Lady of the Bedchamber to the new Princess. Slender, soignée and elegant; in her prime she was compared favourably by Horace Walpole with the Duchess of Devonshire, and her personal attractions were widely admired. Though noted for her affairs (Richard Brinsley Sheridan satirized her in 1777 as the venomous Lady Sneerwell in The School for Scandal) and publicly damned in later life, she remained genuinely affectionate and close to her husband throughout his life. The Earl's death in 1805 left her without sufficient means to support her rank and she died in penury at Cheltenham on 25^th July 1821 and was buried in the family vault at Middleton Stoney.