Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland: Mezzotint After a Painting by J. Reynolds

This striking engraved mezzotint portrait is printed on laid, chain-linked paper. The sheet measures 17.5" high and 11.5" wide. The sheet is adhered to an archival backing sheet along the top only. There is some discoloration and spotting in the margins and in the lower inscription area, but these do not effect the image, which is in very good condition. This engraving is held by several museums and institutions including: The British Museum, The National Trust, The National Portrait Gallery, The Center for British Art at Yale, The Harvard Art Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum London, and The National Galleries of Scotland.

Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Northumberland (1716–1776) was an English noblewoman and heiress. She was the daughter of Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset, and Frances Thynne, and through her mother, a great-granddaughter of Sir William Temple. In 1740, Elizabeth married Sir Hugh Smithson (1715-1786), a wealthy landowner who later became the 1st Duke of Northumberland. They had one child, a son named James who succeeded his father as Duke of Northumberland. Elizabeth played an active role in her husband's political career, helping him to secure his election as Member of Parliament for Westminster and supporting his efforts to improve the fortunes of his family's estates. Smithson was named a lord of the bedchamber and later he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland, and in 1756 the king chose him for "The Most Noble Order of the Garter", which is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honors system. In 1753, the couple inherited the vast Percy estates, including Alnwick Castle and Syon House, through Elizabeth's mother's family. Elizabeth became the 1st Baroness Percy in her own right and was subsequently known as the "great heiress". She oversaw the restoration and improvement of Alnwick Castle and Syon House, and she was a patron of the arts and sciences.

Elizabeth was known for her intelligence, wit, and strong personality and she was admired for her beauty and charm. She was a prominent figure of European society. She was Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Charlotte, patron of Robert Adam and Capability Brown, neighbor to the famous furniture designer Thomas Chippendale, supporter of the prominent Shakespearean actor David Garrick, and a guest of Voltaire and Marie Antoinette. She was an extravagant society hostess, intrepid Grand Tourist, enthusiastic collector, and an inveterate diarist. Horace Walpole described her as a ‘jovial heap of contradictions’. Elizabeth was known for her philanthropy, particularly her support of education and the arts. Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland, remains a prominent figure in English history and is remembered for her wealth, intelligence, and influence in the political and cultural life of 18th-century England.

Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) was an influential English portrait painter and the first President of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. He was born in Plympton, Devon, England, and showed an early talent for drawing. In 1740, he moved to London to study art and became an apprentice to the portrait painter Thomas Hudson. Reynolds established himself as a successful portrait painter in the 1750s and quickly gained a reputation for his ability to capture the likeness and character of his sitters. He became one of the most sought-after portraitists of his time, painting portraits of many prominent figures in British society, including King George III and Samuel Johnson. In 1768, Reynolds was one of the founders of the Royal Academy of Arts, and he served as its first President until his death in 1792. He believed that artists should be trained in a rigorous academic tradition and emphasized the importance of drawing and the use of historical and literary themes in painting.

Reynolds was known for his use of vibrant colors and rich textures in his portraits, and he was a master of capturing the elegance and refinement of his sitters. He also painted a number of historical and mythological scenes, and his influence on British painting was significant. Reynolds' legacy is still felt today, and he is considered one of the greatest portrait painters in British history.

Richard Houston (1721-1775) was an 18th-century English mezzotint engraver, known for his exceptional skill and artistry in the medium. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, and began his career as an apprentice to the engraver John Brooks in London. Houston quickly gained a reputation for his work, and by the 1750s he was considered one of the leading mezzotint engravers of his time. He was particularly renowned for his portraits, which captured the likeness and character of his subjects with remarkable accuracy and depth. Throughout his career, Houston produced numerous mezzotints of notable figures of his day, including politicians, artists, and aristocrats. His work was highly sought after by collectors and connoisseurs, and he was commissioned to produce prints for some of the most prestigious publishers and patrons of the time. Today, Richard Houston's mezzotints are highly valued for their technical virtuosity and artistic merit, and are considered important examples of 18th-century English engraving.