Gainsborough’s Portrait of Georgiana

Keeping with this week’s theme of stolen art, I am particularly interested in the story regarding the portrait Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. This portrait was completed in 1787 by Thomas Gainsborough, a popular English portrait painter. I’m particularly interested in this painting because my grandparents own a reproduction of it (or else it’s another painting that closely mimics the style and pose of Gainsborough’s portrait – I’ll have to look more closely next time I visit).

Georgiana is the great-great-great-great aunt of Princess Diana, and there have been many parallels drawn between the two women. Both beautiful women were the toast of England during their life, although Georgiana outlived her days of high public favor. (The film “The Duchess” (2008) was based on Georgiana’s life; actress Kiera Knightly (who played Georgiana) was angered that her character was often compared to Diana).

Almost a century after the painting was completed, it was sold in 1876 at an auction. Crowds of people gathered to catch a glimpse of this famous portrait. It was eventually sold to the American banker Junius Spencer Morgan, who bought the painting as a gift for his son, J. P. Morgan. However, before the portrait was shipped to America, it remained for a while on exhibition in London.

During this short period of exhibition, Adam Worth crept into the Agnew Gallery and stole the Georgiana portrait from its location of display. Worth hoped that he could use the well-loved painting as collateral; he wanted to bargain with the government to get his brother John freed from prison. However, John’s lawyer was able to negotiate a release for the prisoner before Adam even had time to strike a bargain with the government. Consequently, Adam Worth was left with the beautiful portrait on his hands.

For the next twenty five years, Worth kept the painting. When he traveled, he would bring the Georgiana with him in a false-bottomed trunk. While at home, Worth would sleep with the beloved portrait under his mattress. Ben Macintyre writes in his book Napoleon of Crime that Georgiana was a “permanent, hidden companion” for Worth. Even when Worth experienced financial troubles and threats of capture, the theif preferred to “face disgrace, penury, and imprisonment rather than part with the Duchess.”1 Finally, near the end of his life, Worth sold the painting for an undisclosed sum and negotiated a promise of immunity.

Today, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire is part of the Devonshire Collection. In 1994, the current Duke of Devonshire bought the portrait and placed it at Chatsworth, his ancestral home. Edward Dolnick points out that Georgiana now “presides” in the grand dining room, the location where she held court during her lifetime.2

1 Ben Macintyre, Napoleon of Crime (New York: Harper Collins, 1997), 16.

2 Edward Dolnick, The Rescue Artist (New York: Harper Collins, 2006), 151.

  • joolee says:

    That’s funny, I just finished a book about the Mitford Family and the youngest of the 6 girls became the Duchess of Devonshire. I wouldn’t have known anything about Chatsworth or the Devonshire line if I hadn’t just read that! It was a great book, called The Mitford Saga. And Dolnick’s book on the Vermeer forgeries was fantastic too! Oh my, now I’m rambling…you do post such fun topics!

  • M says:

    Oooh, thanks for the book recommendations! I’ve been interested to read more about the Vermeer forgeries. I just bought a book called The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez. I’ll have to check out the one by Dolnick too. The Mitford Saga sounds interesting too; I’d like to learn more about the Devonshire line.

  • Rebekah says:

    That's the picture. It was Paul & Lily's, I think. I had no idea of it's crazy history!

  • Emilee . . . says:

    This is the question that I have: how did he not ruin the painting by all the abuse he put it through. I mean, sleeping on it?! How did ever survive or is it really beat up?

  • M says:

    You know, I had the same question about the condition of the painting. I have no idea about the damage, but it must have received quite a bit since it was transported and slept on for 25 years!

  • Kiersten says:

    That is a lovely painting. I was thinking about the damages of sleeping on it, too, as I read your post.

  • M says:

    If anyone is interested reading a recent article about some paintings that were damaged through theft, go here:

    http://www.artsjournal.com/culturegrrl/2009/03/noortman_paintings_reported_st.html

    There is also a picture of one of the folded canvases here:

    http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090309/PAGETHREE/725033235/1119

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This blog focuses on making Western art history accessible and interesting to all types of audiences: art historians, students, and anyone else who is curious about art. Alberti’s Window is maintained by Monica Bowen, an art historian and professor.