The inscription on the back of this painting identifies the sitter (assuming it can be trusted). The Duchess of Portland was a society beauty who was painted many times by many artists, including Sargent and de Lazlo, but the most likely attribution of our painting is to the American society portraitist James Jebusa Shannon. Shannon was from time to time a guest at the Duke of Portland's seat, Welbeck Abbey, and painted the Duchess more than once, including a full-length portrait in 1889 (which hung in Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital, a wedding present from the Duke's tenants). The artist's material suppliers' stamp on the back of the canvas of our picture reads 'Anc[ienne] M[aison] ANGE OTTOZ / F. LEFEBVRE / PH. LECLUSE / 58, Rue de Clichy PARIS', which gives us a clue as to the date, for they were active 1893-98.