Margaret Cavendish Bentinck (née Harley), Duchess of Portland

Sitter in 4 portraits
As the only surviving child of Edward Harley, the Duchess of Portland inherited a considerable fortune which she spent on the biggest collection of natural history in Britain at the time. Her wealth afforded opportunities to employ experts such as the botanist Daniel Solander and even procure shells from the expeditions of James Cook. She drew the different specimens, aiming to publish a catalogue identifying and classifying each molluscan species collected. The herbarium she created is today housed at Kew Gardens. Along with her childhood friend, Mary Delany she was a member of the Bluestocking Circle and together they decorated the grotto at Bulstrode House with her collection of shells. After her death, the sale of her collection lasted for thirty-eight days.