Jeremiah Meyer R.A.

wearing a white dress, a blue surcoat embroidered with flowers sprigs and a gauze veil over her shoulder, gold and silver frame, set with circular-cut diamonds 

M.J. Bailey, his sale Christie's London, 17 March 1987, lot 129

Ivory ground. The miniature is in very good colour order. The surface has a scattering of the lightest spidery dry mould, which should dust off with ease.
"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."

This miniature was probably painted in 1774 at the time when the sitter, Emily Mary Margaretta (1751-1818), second daughter of James, 1^st Duke of Leinster, married Charles, 5^th Earl of Bellomont (1738-1800). The union was not destined to be happy: prior to the ceremony the Earl had sought to cancel the proceedings; two years afterwards the Countess's sister-in-law, Emelia Olivia, Duchess of Leinster, noted her 'having the look of a broken hearted woman or a dying person; and as I hear she is well, I suppose her heart is ready to break'. This was no doubt due to Bellomont's philandering ways. In 1780 Sir Herbert Croft regretted that the Earl's virtues had not 'kept pace with his comliness [sic] or his bravery'; by 1786 the press was referring to Bellomont as 'the Hibernian seducer'.

When Reynolds contemporaneously painted a full-length portrait of the Countess, as a pair to his extraordinary swagger portrait of her husband, he also chose to depict her casting a sideways and downward glance. Both artists may have instinctively adopted this reflective pose to convey the private sadness of the sitter.