The Duke of Hamilton was known as 'the boxing marquis' in his youth, and won the Scottish amateur middle-weight title. A pioneer aviator, he was the chief pilot of the first flight over Mount Everest in 1933. The duchess supported her husband's public life and has played an active part in the cultural activities of the Lothians. This touching double-portrait shows the broken, textured brushwork that characterises Kokoschka's work. The artist used vibrant colours to suggest the characters of the sitters, such as reds and oranges for the duke's kilt and even purple for the shadows of his face.