FOLLOWER OF SIR PETER LELY | PORTRAIT OF A LADY, PROBABLY HENRIETTE MAURICETTE DE PENANCOËT DE KÉROUALLE (1657-1728), THREE-QUARTER LENGTH

Acquired by Dr. Marta Dzirkalis and Arthur Dzirkalis, Esq., circa 1955, USA;

Thence by descent to the present owner in 1995.

Henriette Mauricette de Penancoët de Kéroualle was the sister of Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kéroualle (1649-1734), the mistress of King Charles II of England. In 1674, Henriette married the murderous Philip Herbert, 7th Earl of Pembroke (1653-1683) with whom she had a daughter named Lady Charlotte of Herbert. Philip Herbert became known as the Infamous Earl of Pembroke because of his homicidal tendencies. He committed at least two murders and was the prime suspect in the assassination of Sir Edmund Godfrey, which prompted the Popish Plot. Despite these accusations, the Earl avoided punishment until his death. Curiously enough, their daughter Charlotte's first husband, John Jeffreys, 2nd Baron Jeffreys, was himself the son of a notorious historical figure, George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys, also known as the Hanging Judge.

After the Infamous Earl passed away, Henriette married Jean-Timoléon II Gouffier, Marquis de Thoix in 1685.