#whig party

The above image is one of my favorite depictions of her Grace. It is a satirical image from 1784, which happened to be a very big year in the Duchess’ life. Not only did she have her first child after years of painful miscarriages, but she also became notorious for her part in the 1784 Westminster elections. In fact, this seemed to be the thing she became the most known for, besides, of course, being a leader of fashion. She became the first woman to canvass for a political leader, hers being Charles James Fox. The image shows Georgiana on the left, brandishing a staff with the head of Fox on it, identifiable by the fox tails. She holds in her other hand an image of the Prince of Wales, another Whig figurehead. In the right panel we see her cuckolded husband tending to their child.

Of course, the image is meant to be more insulting to the Duke, who probably couldn’t care less about his public image. Although it’s meant to be equally insulting to the Duchess of Devonshire, I think it fails in this. From an 18th century viewpoint, we see a lady out of control, and therefore whose sexuality is out of control as well. From a contemporary standpoint, we see an awesome image of feminine power and liberty.

As an introduction to Georgiana, we have a perfect first impression. This nonchalant image captures what the stuffy portraits cannot portray: a personality that stands out in a sea of powdered coiffures.

Source: http://georgianaduchessofdevonshire.blogspot.com/2008/05/devonshire-amusement.html