"The Duchess of Gordon runs in profile to the left, pursuing a bull which gallops away, out of reach. She holds out a ribbon inscribed 'Matrimony', tied in a bow, in which she wishes to noose the bull. She is stout, florid, and handsome, with tartan draperies hanging from her hair and looped about her dress. A slim daughter (Lady Georgiana) runs beside and behind her, saying, "Run, Mither! - run! run! O how I long to lead the sweet bonny Creature in a string! run! Mither! run. run." The Duchess cries: "De'el hurst your weam, ye overgrown Fool, what are ye kicking at? - are we not ganging to lead ye to Graze on the banks o' the Tweed, & to make ye free o' the Mountains o the North? - Stop! - stop! ye silly Loon ye! stop!, stop, stop." The scene is a bare and slightly mountainous moor. In the middle distance three other daughters of the Duchess dance hand in hand: one is in back view, half of her petticoats removed to show breeches, inscribed 'Manchester Velvet', indicating that she is Susan, who married the Duke of Manchester in 1793, and that she dominates her husband (cf. BMSat 8983). One (right) has a broom thrust through her sash to indicate that she is Louisa, m. Viscount Brome, 17 Apr. 1797. Beside the third (left) dances a spaniel attached to her waist by a ribbon inscribed 'K. Charles Breed', showing that she is Charlotte, who married Col. Lennox, see BMSat 7594 (afterwards Duke of Richmond). The Duchess was renowned for her match-making, in acquiring three dukes and a marquis for four of her five ill-dowered daughters. See Wraxall, 'Memoirs', 1884, iii. 391 ff.; 'Corr. of Lord G. Leveson Gower', 1917, i. 68, 73, 76. The pursuit of the Duke of Bedford was not at first successful, but Lady Georgiana was believed to have been engaged to him shortly before his death in 1803 (ibid. i. 336-7), after which she married, as his second wife, his brother and heir, the 6th Duke."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Bonny duchess hunting the Bedfordshire bull
Description:
Title etched below image., Temporary local subject terms: Match-making -- Matrimony -- Allusion to the Duke of Manchester -- Allusion to Col. Lennox -- Allusion to Viscount Brome -- Dogs: King Charles's spaniel -- Bulls -- Brooms -- Duchess of Manchester -- Viscountess Brome., and Mounted to 31 x 47 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. April 19th, 1797, by H. Humphrey, New Bond & St. Jamess [sic] Street
Subject (Name):
Gordon, Jane Gordon, Duchess of, 1748-1812, Bedford, Georgina Gordon, Duchess of, 1781-1853, and Richmond and Lennox, Charlotte Gordon, Duchess of, 1768-1842
