Lot 51

- overall craquelure and some small spots of paint loss
- old repaired tear to centre on central figures shoulder
- newer repaired tear lower left, on fichu to the left of the central figure's chest (not visible to the naked eye)
- evidence of some in-painting to blonde girl's ringlets, lower left quadrant and along lower left edge
- brown paint splotch to background by the left of central figure's head, does not fluoresce under UV light
- overall faint purple and green glow to background under UV light


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Penelope Cowper, UK
Thence by descent

This delightful portrait of two young women carries with it a fascinating family story. The artist, Douglas Cowper, has painted his two sisters Eliza and Penelope. The darker haired older girl on the left is Eliza Cowper who died from tuberculosis in Gibraltar the eve before her wedding. Cowper himself also died from tuberculosis at the age of 24. The younger blonde ringleted girl on the right, Penelope, was the sole survivor of her family following the death of her parents and siblings. She married Robert Tennent who was from a wealthy Scottish family with vast business interests. Their first son, Edward, was born in Brazil and five other children followed. Robert died young from a tropical disease, and Penelope moved to Australia with her six children bringing this painting with her.