The Infant Pan in Country Life

Lady Diana Beauclerk’s drawing of the Infant Pan was selected by Huon Mallalieu of ‘Country Life’ in his weekly column on the art market. He reviewed our exhibition of the work of British women artists, in which the drawing is included, with his customary erudition.

Lady Di, as she was known, was the eldest daughter of Charles Spencer, 2nd Duke of Marlborough and grew up at Blenheim Palace. She was a colourful character whose marriages to a drunk and an addict were problematic. As Huon noted in his piece, she was luckier with her friends, and Horace Walpole was a great admirer who built a room at his home Strawberry Hill in Twickenham to house her work.

Lady Diana was well known for her charming drawings of children, cupids and bacchantes, some of which were engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi and thus widely distributed. She produced designs for Wedgwood wares from wine coolers to marble clocks, painted murals and illustrated books.