Jane Elizabeth, Countess of Ellenborough (1807-1881), Famous beauty; wife of 1st Earl of Ellenborough

Sitter in 5 portraits
Born into a wealthy family, she was married to Lord Ellenborough, who was twice her age. She rapidly fell in love with an Austrian prince and ran away with him, which led to a scandalous divorce. She then did a tour of European countries and titled European men, including a German baron, a Greek count and the King of Bavaria. Reaching Syria, she finally found lasting love with an Arab nobleman, Sheik Medjuel el Mezrab. She divided her time between her house in Damascus and his Bedouin tribe in the deserts around Palmyra, adopting local dress and customs. Jane recorded in watercolours some of these scenes from her life. When she died, Medjuel rode her favourite horse to her funeral in the cemetery in Damascus.