Called Lady Jane Grey, Queen (1537–1554), possibly Lady Mary Neville, Lady Dacre (1524-c.1576)

British (English) School. Oil painting on canvas, Called Lady Jane Grey (Dudley) (1537–1554), possibly Lady Mary Nevill, Lady Dacre (1524 - c.1576), British (English) School, 18th century. A three-quarter-length portrait of a young woman, turned slightly to the left, gazing to the left, the index finger of her left hand inserted in a book which she is holding at her waist, she is wearing a deep maroon dress with wide-cuffed sleeves, a short white over-sleeve worn from the shoulder to part way down the arm, a white lace stand up-collar with some flowers tucked into the nekline. She has reddish hair with a centre parting, covered by a plain white linen French Hood. Lady Jane’s connection with the Stamford Greys is through her uncle, John Grey, who was great-grandfather of the 1st Earl of Stamford. She was proclaimed Queen in 1553 on the death of Edward VI, but was deposed and beheaded after a reign of only two weeks. A similar portrait, on panel and presumably earlier, belongs to Lady Lucas (ex. Wrest Park Collection). The only accepted likeness of Lady Jane is in the National Portrait Gallery, to which this bears no resemblance. Dunham Massey, Cheshire (Accredited Museum)