English: Portrait of Elizabeth Burgoyne. Half-figure, seated to right, leaning head on right hand; white dress, blue sash, sky background.

Elizabeth, daughter of Eliab Harvey, Esq., M.P., of Claybury Hall, Essex; married, Oct. 10, 1780, Montagu, second son of Sir Roger Burgoyne, Bart.; died March 6, 1836.

Sittings: 1781, Jan. 23, 25, Feb. 3, 6, 13, 20, April 23, 28, Nov. 27, 29, Dec. 1, 4, 8, 11, 13. (BURGOYNE, MRS. MONTAGU.)

Alex Kidson also records an untraced version of the present portrait which he dates to 1781: 'no doubt a belated marriage portrait as well as a pendant for Romney's second portrait of her husband'. The existence of an unpaid-for copy is recorded in Romney's accounts by 1785 and it seems that if there were further sittings for this, they must have taken place in that year, for which the sitter book is lost. The two versions differ in the treatment of the sky. While the untraced versions of the Burgoynes have been traditionally regarded as the prime versions, the quality of the present portrait would appear to question that tradition.

Mrs Burgoyne had seventeen appointments with Romney between 23 January and 13 December in 1781 and she cancelled seven more. This is a large number for this scale of commission and Kidson suggests that Mrs Burgoyne modelled for other works - the early version of Serena, for example. The following lot portraying Mr Burgoyne is its companion.