Portrait of Constance Gwladys Robinson, Marchioness of Ripon. 1876. Watercolour heightened with touches of white gouache on paper; 29 ⅛ x 22 13/16 inches (74 x 58cm). Private collection. Click on image to enlarge it.
Constance Gwladys Herbert (1859-1917) was the daughter of Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea. In 1878 she married St George Lowther, 4th Earl of Lonsdale, but he died relatively young in 1882. In 1885 she married Frederick Robinson, known as the Earl de Grey, who in 1909 became the 2nd Marquess of Ripon. During her lifetime Gwladys was an important patron of the arts in Britain, particularly of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. She was a supporter of talented individuals in the arts, particularly Nellie Melba, the Australian opera singer. She was also a great lover of ballet and formed friendships with both Vaslav Nijinsky and Sergei Diaghilev. Constance became a close friend of Oscar Wilde who dedicated his 1893 play A Woman of No Importance to her. She was described as a woman “who dazzled every London drawing-room’” with her wit, beauty, and energy but was also notorious for her many extramarital love affairs.
Clifford’s portrait of Gwladys Herbert was painted when the sitter was only seventeen years old. She is depicted half-length in a white dress with a crown of ivy leaves in her hair. Ivy can symbolise fidelity, which is rather ironic considering her later lifestyle. The background is a simple landscape with a low horizon beyond. The necklace she is wearing is unusual and surprising for a number of reasons. It appears to be a diamond fringe necklace, with very large diamonds suspended on diamond-set knife-like blades from a diamond-set neck-chain. Although it is hard to read the detail of the earrings, they seem to be en suite. The problem is that contemporary etiquette dictated that unmarried girls did not wear diamonds until after their wedding, and this is obviously a very conspicuous piece of jewellery. Since Glwadys did not marry until July 1878, it is unlikely even to be a betrothal portrait. This jewellery may very well be a Pembroke heirloom, and given the white dress, one alternative explanation could be that it is her costume for presentation at Court, although the diamonds rule probably included debutantes. It is therefore a surprising piece for someone her age to be wearing even though it does balance very well with the low-cut neckline of her dress. It shows that even at age seventeen she was already anything but conventional!
Last modified 5 February 2023