Isabella Stanhope (1748–1819), Viscountess Molyneux, Later Countess of Sefton

Gainsborough's Isabella Stanhope, Viscountess Molyneux of around 1758 depicts a member of the Stanhope family — one of England's distinguished aristocratic dynasties — in his early Bath manner, the portrait demonstrating the elegance and lightness of touch that were making him the fashionable choice for aristocratic female portraiture. The Viscountess's formal dress and the luminous handling of her complexion create the characteristic Gainsborough female portrait of the period, combining fashionable elegance with natural grace.

Gainsborough handles the young aristocrat with growing confidence in his ability to capture both beauty and social elegance. The treatment of the dress fabric shows his developing facility with long, flowing brushstrokes, while the face is painted with the luminous warmth that would become one of his most distinctive qualities.