Portrait of Frances Anne Vane, Marchioness of Londonderry

The artist used glazing to create a sense of luminosity and depth, particularly in rendering the jewels, which appear to glow with a wet sheen. Thin, shiny layers of paint capture the sparkle of the diamonds and rubies.

The marchioness took control of the family's coalmining interests after her husband's death, establishing herself as a formidable businesswoman. Some of her jewels were gifts from Tsar Alexander I, while others were inherited or purchased with the wealth generated by the coalmines.