Elizabeth Felton, Countess of Bristol (1676-1741), with her Children Lady Henrietta Hervey (1703-1712) and her...

Charles d'Agar (Paris 1669 – London 1723). Oil painting on canvas, Elizabeth Felton, Countess of Bristol (1676-1741), with her Children Lady Henrietta Hervey (1703-1712) and her Twin Brother Lord Charles Hervey (1703-1786) by Charles d'Agar (Paris 1669 – London 1723), inscribed on the top front: top mid-right: The Countess of / Bristol ...... / Harriott & Charles. A three-quarter-length portrait of a woman seated between the two children on a stone bench before a wall and columns. The Countess has dark brown hair, tied back then falling over her shoulders. She is wearing a low-cut white bodice under a wrapover gown of champagne-coloured material with a lining of blue showing across the bodice. The gown has elbow-length sleeves turned back over the under-bodice. She holds a spray of white flowers and dark green leaves in her right hand, resting on her lap. Henrietta to the left, has lighter brown hair, wearing a peacock blue gown over a white bodice, and a pinkish stole. She holds a basket of flowers on her lap. Charles on the right, is pointing his right hand at his mother and sister. He has shorter brown hair. He wears a peacock-blue gown with square neckline and elbow length sleeves. The neckline is edged with gold braid. He has a pink stole fastened across his shoulder and draped round his back. His left hand rests on a gilded birdcage. Trees and a partly obscured building are on the left side. This is the only picture that the 1st Earl of Bristol records paying Charles D’Agar for. He may have been put off Kneller by his increased prices, and he subsequently tried the Swedish-born painters, Michael Dahl and Hans Hysing, but he seems to have preferred lesser, and local, talents whenever possible: Joseph Brooke & John Fayram. Ickworth, Suffolk (Accredited Museum)