About this artwork

Mary Degg was the daughter of Captain William Degg, a British army officer, and Catherine Meighen. Mary’s mother died within months of the birth, and her father then remarried while serving in Ireland. On 1 January 1756, Mary married Lord Robert Manners, and within days of their wedding she and her new husband were presented to the King. Mary was described as a great beauty. An imposing portrait of her in later life was painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence in 1826 and is also in the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Allan Ramsay (1713 - 1784) Scottish
  • title:
    Mary Degg, Lady Robert Manners (1737 - 1829)
  • date created:
    About 1756
  • materials:
    Oil on canvas
  • measurements:
    Image (oval): 76.00 x 63.50 cm; Framed: 92.71 x 78.74 x 7.62 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Bequest of Mrs Nisbet Hamilton Ogilvy of Biel 1921
  • accession number:
    NG 1523
  • gallery:
  • depicted:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Allan Ramsay

Allan Ramsay