About this artwork

Lady Agnes and her six sisters, daughters of the 6th Earl of Morton, were known as 'the seven pearls of Lochleven', on account of their beauty. She was twenty-five when this portrait was painted and had been married for seven years to the Earl of Argyll, a powerful soldier and statesman. Her black dress is plain, but sets off the fine lace and massive quantities of gold, pearl and diamond jewellery. There is a particularly fine pendant pinned to her lace collar, and another on her red hair, which is swept up and padded into a heart-shaped halo.

Updated before 2020

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