Margaret Bingham
| Margaret Bingham, Countess of Lucan | |
|---|---|
|
Margaret Bingham (née Smith), Countess of Lucan, 1820 | |
| Born |
Margaret Smyth 1740 Devon, England |
| Died |
27 February 1814 London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Charles Bingham, 1st Earl of Lucan |
| Children |
Lavinia Spencer, Countess Spencer Lady Eleanor Bingham Lady Louisa Bingham Lady Anne Bingham Richard Bingham, 2nd Earl of Lucan |
| Parent(s) |
James Smith Grace Smith |
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Margaret Bingham, Countess of Lucan (1740 – 27 February 1814[1]) was a British painter, copyist, and poet. Her art was much admired by Horace Walpole.
Personal life
Margaret Bingham was born Margaret Smyth in Devon, England, the younger of the two daughters of James Smith MP of Canons-Leigh, Devon, and his wife Grace.[1][2] She married Charles Bingham, later 1st Earl of Lucan, in 1760.[1] She died in 1814 at St James's Place in London,[1][2] and was survived by five children.[1]
- Lady Lavinia Bingham; married George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer and had issue.[1]
- Lady Eleanor Margaret Bingham
- Lady Louisa Bingham
- Lady Anne Bingham
- Hon. Richard Bingham; later succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Lucan.
Work
As an artist, Bingham often copied the work of others, as well as painting portrait miniatures.[1][2] Her work was collected in the United Kingdom and in France. In Paris she was given access to the Palais-Royal to copy works of the artists on display there, which were owned by the Duke of Orléans. Her foremost work was to supply miniatures and illuminations for a five-volume edition of Shakespeare's historical plays, for the library at Althorp, Northamptonshire. This took 16 years to complete. She also painted portraits, still lifes, and landscapes.
She was greatly admired by Horace Walpole and there are several flattering allusions to her in his letters. In his Anecdotes Walpole attributes to her "a genius that almost depreciates those masters [from whom she copied,] when we consider that they spent their lives in attaining perfection."[1]
As a writer Lady Lucan published around 1778 Verses on the Present State of Ireland, a strong poetic protest against Britain's treatment of Ireland. It was published in Dublin under the pseudonym Lady L–n.[2]
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Margaret Bingham. |
- Lady Elizabeth Herbert and her son, Charles, by Margaret Bingham, Countess of Lucan, on card, inscribed & signed, circa 1777, after the 1775 original by Sir Joshua Reynolds from Elle Shushan Fine Portrait Miniatures