The Countess of Darnley

The Countess of Darnley, painted by Lawrence in 1827 and now in the National Gallery, belonged to a title whose ancient lineage traced back to Matthew Stewart, Earl of Lennox, father of the ill-fated Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley — second husband of Mary Queen of Scots and father of James VI. By the early nineteenth century this historical resonance had receded into genealogical pride rather than political consequence, but the earldom still carried the weight of centuries of aristocratic continuity that gave Lawrence's grand manner portraits their cultural meaning. The large format (56.5 by 69 centimetres in terms of the picture surface, though these dimensions suggest a bust rather than full-length portrait) and the National Gallery destination confirm that the painting was regarded as an important example of Lawrence's late manner even in his own lifetime. Lawrence executed the work in the year of his presidency of the Royal Academy and three years before his death, at a moment when his technical command was combined with the accumulation of insight into aristocratic character that thirty years of portraying the British elite had given him.

Rich, saturated color distinguishes this late portrait, with deep reds and golds in the drapery set against a darkened atmospheric background. Lawrence's brushwork is both authoritative and economical, suggesting elaborate costume details with just a few decisive strokes.