Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde and her son Thomas, Earl of Ossory

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde and her son Thomas, Earl of Ossory

by Robert Williams, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt
mezzotint, 1688-1704
13 1/2 in. x 9 7/8 in. (343 mm x 250 mm) plate size
Given by the daughter of compiler William Fleming MD, Mary Elizabeth Stopford (née Fleming), 1931
Reference Collection
NPG D31317

Sitterback to top

Artistsback to top

  • Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt (1646-1723), Portrait painter. Artist or producer associated with 1689 portraits, Sitter associated with 30 portraits.
  • Robert Williams (active 1680-1704), Mezzotinter. Artist or producer associated with 76 portraits.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D3785: Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde and her son Thomas, Earl of Ossory (based on same portrait)
  • NPG D5730: Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde and her son Thomas, Earl of Ossory (based on same portrait)
  • NPG D6603: Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde and her son Thomas, Earl of Ossory (based on same portrait)
  • NPG D11593: Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde and her son Thomas, Earl of Ossory (based on same portrait)
  • NPG D31316: Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde and her son Thomas, Earl of Ossory (based on same portrait)

Events of 1688back to top

Current affairs

The Glorious Revolution. Senior statesmen, increasingly resentful of James's assault upon liberties of his subjects, invite William III of Orange to invade England. Their action is spurred on by the acquittal of seven bishops who refused to read James II's declaration of indulgence from their pulpits. James flees into exile.

Art and science

George Savile, Marquess of Halifax, publishes his political tract, The Character of a Trimmer, written 1685, which urged Charles II to shake off his brother's influence.
Writer, Aphra Behn, publishes Oroonoko, often considered to be an abolitionist treatise.


International

Nine Years' War. Threatened by William III's invasion of England and possible alliance of Protestant European states under his helm, Louis XIV sends French troops into the Rhineland. This pre-emptive strike ignites a war of attrition, and institutes a coalition of European states united in attempting to halt expansionist France.

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Angela Kailus

08 May 2017, 15:48

The attribution to John Smith obviously is not correct, should be Robert Williams. The British Museum holds another copy of this state of the print, please compare and follow its findings on the subject:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1668432&partId=1&people=22702&peoA=22702-1-6&page=1

Also compare the BM's print of the first state, which still holds the name of Robert Williams:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1668439&partId=1&people=22702&peoA=22702-1-6&page=1