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Notes
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Noted for her beauty and intelligence, Venetia Stanley was the wife of the diplomat and author, Sir Kenelm Digby. She was the subject of much scandal, and was said to have been the mistress of Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset while betrothed to Digby, who was abroad at the time. The tale of the Digby's romance and the restoration of Venetia's virtue are detailed in her husband's memoirs, Loose Fantasies. After nine years of marriage, she died suddenly – quite possibly after drinking her husband's 'viper wine', a concoction reputed to preserve beauty. Digby mourned her loss extravagantly. This allegorical portrait by Van Dyck is thought to have been painted as a posthumous tribute to Lady Digby, who is shown as Prudence, trampling on profane Love and spurning two-faced Deceit.
Title
Venetia, Lady Digby
Date
c.1633–1634
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 101.1 x W 80.2 cm
Accession number
5727
Acquisition method
Purchased with help from The Pilgrim Trust, 1984
Work type
Painting
National Portrait Gallery, London
St Martin’s Place, London, Greater London WC2H 0HE England
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