18th Century Painting Lady Jane Stanhope as Aurora Watercolour

18th Century Watercolour Lady Harrington as Aurora After Reynolds British School, Circa 1785 — After Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792) Georgian Grand Manner Watercolour Portrait in a Gold-Leaf Frame Description A refined late-18th-century British watercolour on paper portraying Jane Stanhope, Countess of Harrington, in the allegorical guise of Aurora, Roman goddess of the dawn. Dating from approximately 1785, the composition follows Sir Joshua Reynolds’s celebrated circa-1775 portrait of Jane Fleming as Aurora, now preserved at Harewood House. Lady Harrington stands at full length within a romantic wooded grove as morning light spreads across the distant landscape. Her flowing white satin gown, flower wreath and translucent sash scattered with golden stars transform an aristocratic likeness into an idealised representation of dawn, renewal and celestial beauty. The unidentified British School artist combines carefully controlled figure painting with broader transparent washes throughout the sky, foliage and distant landscape. Rose, pale gold, misty blue and ivory create an especially luminous Georgian palette. This is an accomplished example of Grand Manner portraiture with particular appeal for collectors of British art, Georgian portraiture, Classical allegory and aristocratic history. Attribution The composition corresponds closely with Sir Joshua Reynolds’s documented portrait of Jane Fleming as Aurora. Its direct compositional relationship supports the designation “after Sir Joshua Reynolds”. The present watercolour is not represented as being by Reynolds or as having been produced under his supervision. It is catalogued as an accomplished late-18th-century British School interpretation of his composition. The Sitter Jane Fleming was born in 1755 and became the daughter and heiress of Sir John Fleming, 1st Baronet. She married Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington, on 23 May 1779 and subsequently became Jane Stanhope, Countess of Harrington. A prominent Georgian society hostess, she served Queen Charlotte as a Lady of the Bedchamber and appeared in several portraits and reproductive engravings associated with leading artists of the period. Her representation as Aurora connects her aristocratic identity with the Classical symbolism of dawn, beauty, renewal and the awakening natural world. The Artist Sir Joshua Reynolds was one of the leading British portrait painters of the 18th century and the inaugural President of the Royal Academy. His Grand Manner portraits combined recognisable likenesses with poses, costumes and settings inspired by Classical antiquity, Renaissance painting and the European Old Masters. Reynolds frequently portrayed aristocratic sitters as mythological or historical figures, allowing contemporary portraits to communicate rank, refinement and timeless virtue. The anonymous artist responsible for the present work has translated Reynolds’s oil composition into the more delicate medium of watercolour while retaining its principal symbolism and atmospheric character. Frame and Presentation The portrait has been professionally conserved and newly presented in a handmade reverse-profile frame with a gold-leaf finish. The front is fitted with AR70 low-reflective, UV-filtering museum-quality glass. This specialist glazing provides clear viewing while helping to protect the historic watercolour beneath. The portrait is framed, fitted for hanging and ready for immediate wall display. Provenance Private Scottish collection. Subsequently offered through Lindsay Burns & Company, Scottish auctioneers. Privately loaned and exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum. Curated and catalogued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. Measurements Image height: 41 cm or approximately 16.1 inches. Image width: 33 cm or approximately 13 inches. Framed height: 55 cm or approximately 21.7 inches. Framed width: 47 cm or approximately 18.5 inches. Framed depth: 1.5 cm or approximately 0.6 inches. All measurements are approximate. Declaration Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® has catalogued this work as a genuine late-18th-century British School watercolour dating from approximately 1785 and painted after the documented composition by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The attribution and date represent informed professional assessments based upon the available visual, historical and comparative evidence. No claim is made that the watercolour was painted by Reynolds or produced under his direct supervision. Condition Presented in good overall condition consistent with its late-18th-century date. The watercolour has undergone professional conservation and retains an attractive, luminous palette. Areas of foxing and age-related staining remain visible in places, as expected for a historic work on paper. The recently added gold-leaf frame and AR70 protective glazing present well. Please examine the complete photographic record when assessing condition. Additional detailed photographs are available upon request. Worldwide Shipping Worldwide shipping is available. The framed portrait will be professionally packaged using appropriate protective materials and dispatched fully insured for safe domestic or international delivery. Please contact us if you require a destination-specific shipping quotation. Attribution and Research Notice The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market. These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations. Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art. Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. We are committed to offering collectors works of artistic and historical merit accompanied by transparent provenance research, detailed catalogue descriptions and professional, client-focused service. Additional photographs and further information are available upon request.