Mary Churchill, Duchess of Montague (ca. 1689-1751)

Date1722-1726

After work by Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723)

MediumOil on canvas

DimensionsUnframed: 49 1/2 x 40 1/4in. (125.7 x 102.2cm) and Framed: 55 3/4 x 46 x 1 1/2in.

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1954-309

DescriptionPortrait painting: woman seated, three quarters length in porfile to left; brown or black hair and eyes; gray-blue silk dress with white trim at neck and sleeves; left hand in lap holding ball of white thread from which extended right hand has drawn a short length; background of a wall with a window and balustrade at left; view from window of a formal garden.Label TextThe subject of this portrait, Lady Mary Churchill, was the youngest daughter of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, hero of the Battle of Blenheim. In 7015, she married John, 2nd Duke of Montagu becoming the Duchess of Montague. From 1714-1717, the she was a Lady of the Bedchamber, an official position of personal attendant to Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, the wife of King George II.

ProvenanceFrom William Byrd II (1674-1744) of Westover to his son, William Byrd III (1728-1777); to his wife, Mrs. William Byrd III (Mary Willing)(1740-1814); left in her will to her daughter, Mrs. John Page (Maria Horsmanden Byrd)(1761-1844) of Pagebrook; According to family tradition, the portrait never went to Pagebrook. Instead it hung briefly at Brandon Plantation where Mrs. Benjamin Harrison (Evelyn Taylor Byrd) (1766-1817) had a number of other Westover portraits; Mrs. John Page willed the portrait to her daughter Mrs. Benjamin Harrison (Mary Willing Page) (ca.1788-1865) of Berkeley Plantation; the portrait was at Berkeley before 1846; to her son Dr. Benjamin Harrison (1824-1898); to his son Dr. Gwynne Page Harrison (1878-1914) of Longwood; his widow Phoebe Virginia Westwater (later Mrs. Hugh Nelson) (1890-?) sold this portrait to Mrs. William Bell Watkins, who was CWF's source.