Unknown Lady of the Fanshawe family
Topic: Subject or sitter

Could this be Dame Hannah Rogers? Born Hannah Trefusis she married John Rogers in 1742 in London. The Hannah Trust have a portrait of her which is strikingly similar to this.

Sara McMahon, Entry reviewed by Art UK

Completed, Outcome

Alice Read,

This discussion has concluded that the sitter is not Dame Hannah Rogers. The title will remain as 'Unknown Lady of the Fanshawe Family'.

Thank you to all for participating in this discussion. To those viewing this discussion for the first time, please see below for all comments that led to this conclusion.

7 comments

Bendor Grosvenor,

I suspect this is just a case of a similar pose. Many artists of the period followed set poses and costumes, and the similarities can sometimes be misleading.

Martin Hopkinson,

It seems very unlikely that this is the same woman. Exploring the women ancestors in the Fanshawe family would seem to be the best way forward

Elaine Clark,

If this picture was painted c 1720, it cannot be Dame Hannah Rogers, as she was not born until 1719. The Hannah Trust's portrait, with similar dress and hairstyle, must date from c 1740 onwards, so is this picture of similar date?
Anna Maria Rogers, suggested above as a subject, was born in 1718. She was the sister of John Rogers, who married Hannah Trefusis (Dame Hannah Rogers), and of Elizabeth Rogers, who married Admiral Charles Fanshawe. The Fanshawes' son, also Charles, married Anna Maria's step-daughter, Elizabeth Seale, previously thought to be the subject of this portrait.
Anna Maria Seale outlived her husband and step-daughter, dying in 1803. She left her estate to her nephew Charles Fanshawe,in trust for his son.
Elizabeth Rogers's portrait is on Your Paintings:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/elizabeth-fanshawe-17081797-wife-of-rear-admiral-charles-133465

Bendor Grosvenor,

Thanks for comments everyone, but I think we can be pretty safe this isn't Dame Hannah. Unknown Lady of the Fanshawe family she should probably remain for now.

Alice Read,

This has now been linked to the 18th C British Portraits Group for their consideration. I will then look at closing this discussion.