Portraits from Chatsworth
A Loan Exhibition
30 May–4 July 2023 • London


C hatsworth has always been a centre for creativity, and its collection has evolved to reflect the eclectic tastes and interests of sixteen generations of the Devonshire family. Chatsworth House contains works of art that span 4,000 years, from ancient Roman and Egyptian sculpture, to masterpieces by Rembrandt, Reynolds and Veronese, to works by outstanding modern artists, including Felicity Aylieff, Lucian Freud, David Nash and Edmund de Waal. One of the star exhibits from Portraits from Chatsworth – A Loan Exhibition is ‘Woman in a White Shirt’, a portrait of Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire (1920-2014) commissioned from Lucian Freud, which caused a sensation when first shown.


Left to Right: Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of an Old Man. Executed in 1651; Lucian Freud, Woman in a White Shirt. Executed in 1958-60. © The Lucian Freud Archive. All Rights Reserved 2023 / Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees / Bridgeman Images

Today, Chatsworth plays an important role as a thriving cultural and educational destination, a nationally significant historic landscape, and a working estate that operates with a mindful approach to the environment and sustainability. The Chatsworth House Trust is the registered charity that looks after the house, collections, garden, woodlands and park for benefit of everyone.

Left to Right: Antonio Canova, A bust of Laura; Sir Joshua Reynolds, Portrait of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757‑1806) with her infant daughter Lady Georgiana Cavendish (1783‑1858), later Countess of Carlisle. Executed in 1784; Michael Craig-Martin, Commissioned Portrait Untitled (Laura). Executed in 2009. © Michael Craig-Martin, Courtesy the artist and Gagosian

Sotheby’s has long held a special relationship with Chatsworth and together, for more than twenty-five years, they have continually provided new and exciting opportunities for members of the public to enjoy The Devonshire Collection. At this moment of celebration, with the re-opening of London’s National Portrait Gallery in June, this exhibition encapsulates the family’s passion and longstanding fascination with this genre, and in turn offers a window into one of the most significant collections of art in the world.

Left to Right: Lucian Freud, Portrait of a Man. Executed in 1971-72; Lucian Freud, Head of a Woman. Executed in 1950. © The Lucian Freud Archive. All Rights Reserved 2023 / Reproduced by permission of Chatsworth Settlement Trustees / Bridgeman Images

Full Artwork Cataloguing

Exhibition On View

Sotheby’s London, 34-35 New Bond Street
30 May–4 July 2023
Weekdays: 9:00 AM–4:30 PM
Weekends: 12:00–5:00 PM
Closed Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 June
This exhibition is free and unticketed.


Insurance provided by


© The Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth www.chatsworth.org

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