Windsor Beauties facts for kids
The Windsor Beauties are a famous collection of portrait paintings. They were created by a well-known artist named Sir Peter Lely and his team in the 1660s. These paintings show important ladies who were part of the court of King Charles II. Some of these women were even close friends of the King.
The paintings are still part of the Royal Collection, which is the art collection owned by the British royal family. They got their name because they were first kept at Windsor Castle. Today, you can see them displayed at Hampton Court Palace.
A nobleman named Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland loved these paintings so much that he asked for copies to be made. These copies are still on display at his family home, Althorp House, in a special room he created just for art.
The Famous Portraits
The Royal Collection has 10 paintings in this special set. Each painting shows the women from about their waist up, in different poses. Some of the ladies wear the fashionable clothes of the 1660s. Others are shown in loose, flowing robes, which were meant to look like clothing from ancient Roman or Greek times.
The idea for these paintings came from Anne Hyde, Duchess of York. She was the wife of the King's brother, James, Duke of York. The first time these paintings were mentioned was in 1668 by Samuel Pepys, who wrote in his diary that they were hanging in the Duke of York's room. Over the years, the paintings moved around different royal palaces, including St. James Palace and Windsor Castle, before finally arriving at Hampton Court Palace.
Who Were the "Beauties"?
The original set of "Beauties" painted by Sir Peter Lely usually includes about 10 to 12 different women. These women were important figures at King Charles II's court.
Some of the well-known ladies in the collection include:
- Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox
- Elizabeth, Countess de Gramont
- Margaret, Lady Denham
- Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland
- Anne, Countess of Sunderland
- Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland
- Madame Henrietta, Duchess of Orléans
Even though she was the one who asked for the paintings, Anne Hyde, Duchess of York herself was also painted as part of the series. It's thought that the artist, Lely, might have included her as a compliment!
Images for kids
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Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, around 1662
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Jane Needham, Mrs Myddleton, around 1663-65
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Margaret Brooke, Lady Denham, around 1663-65
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Frances Brooke, Lady Whitmore, around 1665
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Mary Bagot, Countess of Falmouth and Dorset, around 1664-65
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Henrietta Boyle, Countess of Rochester, around 1665
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Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland, around 1665 (dressed as Minerva, a Roman goddess)
More Collections of Beauties
- Hampton Court Beauties: This is another set of portraits of ladies from a later time, painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller. You can also see them at Hampton Court Palace.
- Gallery of Beauties: This is a collection of portraits in Munich, Germany, from an even later period.
