About this artwork

Lady Jean Gordon was born at Huntly Castle, Aberdeenshire. This miniature, the size of a large coin, forms a pair to that of her husband, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, and is dated 1566, the year of their marriage. This was a political alliance, encouraged by Mary, Queen of Scots and urged on by Lady Jean Gordon's family, but it was not to last. Within weeks of Lord Darnley's murder in February 1567, Bothwell had the marriage annulled and contrived to marry his recently widowed Queen. From then on, his fortunes dramatically declined while his ex-wife enjoyed a long life, eventually being united with her first love, Alexander Ogilvie, in her mid-fifties.

Updated before 2020

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