Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire
1 portrait of Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire
by Robert Bowyer Parkes, after Thomas Gainsborough
mezzotint, published 1870
11 1/2 in. x 7 1/8 in. (292 mm x 182 mm) plate size; 13 3/8 in. x 11 1/2 in. (341 mm x 292 mm) paper size
Acquired, 1964
Reference Collection
NPG D1755
Sitterback to top
- Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806), Beauty and leader of Whig society; first wife of 5th Duke of Devonshire. Sitter in 32 portraits.
Artistsback to top
- Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788), Portrait and landscape painter. Artist or producer associated with 268 portraits, Sitter in 8 portraits.
- Robert Bowyer Parkes (1830-1891), Engraver. Artist or producer associated with 60 portraits.
Events of 1870back to top
Current affairs
William Edward Forster's Education Act is passed, making provisions for education for all under-13s. It demonstrated the balance in Gladstone's first ministry between progressive reform and conservativism by spreading literacy, whilst maintaining the status of Church schools.The Married Women's Property Act gives wives rights over their own earnings.
Art and science
The Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's fantasy-overture Romeo and Juliet, based on Shakespeare's play and written with the aid of composer Mily Balakirev, debuts in Moscow, conducted by Nikolai Rubenstein.W. G. Grace becomes cricket captain of Gloucestershire, marking the start of a successful decade for the club in which they won three 'Champion County' titles.
International
Isaac Butt, an Irish MP at Westminster, forms the Home Rule Association.The Franco-Prussian war breaks out between France and a coalition of German states led by Prussia. Provoked by the candidacy of German Prince Leopold Hohenzollen-Sigmaringen for the Spanish throne, France declared war in July after Bismark published the deliberately provocative Ems telegraph, in which the French were represented in an offensive light on the issue.
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