Lady Elizabeth Keppel
Sir Joshua Reynolds (after) 1723 - 1792
Summary
Lady Elizabeth Keppel (1739-1768) was the daughter of Willen van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle and Lady Anne Lennox, daughter of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond. She is depicted here wearing her bridemaid's dress worn at the royal wedding of King George III and Queen Charlotte in 1761. Lady Keppel is shown decorating a statue of Hymen, the Greek God of marriage, with garlands of flowers. Hymen holds a crown in his right hand. Lady Keppel is assisted by her black female servant kneeling to her left. We do not know her name as it was never recorded. In Reynolds' notebook of sitters, she is recorded only as 'negro'. The portrait was commissioned from Reynolds by Lady Keppel's brother, the 3rd Earl of Albemarle (1724-1772). Shortly after the portrait's completion, her brother commanded British forces at the Battle of Havana resulting in Spain's surrender of Cuba. In 1764 Lady Keppel married Francis Russell, Marquis of Tavistock (see his portrait 1920.430) who died in 1767 after accidentally falling from his horse while hunting. She survived only to1768 herself. Her elder sons were 5th and 6th Dukes of Bedford. Her youngest son, Lord William Russell, born after his father's death, was murdered by his valet Francois Benjamin Courvoisier in 1840. 1920.420 'Admiral Augustus Keppel' is a portrait of her brother.
Object Name
Lady Elizabeth Keppel
Creators Name
Date Created
1761
accession number
1920.350
Collection Group
Place of creation
Europe
Support
paper
Medium
Mezzotint
On Display
Credit
Dr David Lloyd Roberts bequest, 1920
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