I was quite fascinated by this portrait of the lady of the manor at Lanhydroc for several reasons.
Firstly it was one of six almost identical portraits and at first I thought, "why have six portraits done that all look the same?" Then on further investigation, I discovered that they were all of different women. in fact it was four generations of the ladies of Lanhydroc and their sisters. I know the landed gentry are renowned for their inbreeding but these six women were like clones.
Then I was fascinated by the look in her eyes. I wondered what having that sort of unimaginable wealth would do to someone. If you could have absolutely anything your heart desired and your merest whim could be a reality with just a word.
Would you lounge on your daybed while four manicurists worked feverishly at buffing the nails on each limb, while a handmaiden fed you swallow's tongues lightly braised in elephant's tears. Would you mutter "Jeeves, grease me up a footman, I'm feeling a little frisky this morning."
Or would you be more adventurous and run naked through your massive private estate leaving a trail of slavering gardeners in your wake. Would you ask the stable boy to saddle you up a wild stag so you could ride regally through the village taunting the poor villagers by showing them your new tiara that their hard labour in the fields had paid for. Would you tell your gamekeeper to have that handsome blacksmith scrubbed and shaved and brought to your bed chamber.
If the world was your oyster would you swallow it whole and ask for more, or would you try to make it a better place?
If it makes you feel any better, in the actual portrait, she looks quite plain and dowdy. I had to work quite hard in Portrait Pro to give her some decent makeup and try to make her look presentable. :)
