Portrait of Ann Wells, later Duchess of Chandos c.1722; Follower of Michael Dahl.

Oil on canvas in good period carved and giltwood frame.

An old label, verso, identifies the sitter as Ann Wells (1709-1759) daughter of John and Sarah Wells of Brasted Park, Kent, baptised in 1709.
This is probably the Ann Wells who married, secondly, Henry Brydges, 2nd Duke of Chandos at Mr. Keith's Chapel, Mayfair. (Image 7 shows Ann when Duchess of Chandos).

The Duke held the office of Member of Parliament for Hereford; he was Master of the Horse to HRH The Prince of Wales and was invested as a Knight, Order of the Bath on 12 January 1731.
The Duke was also 5th Baronet Brydges, 10th Baron Chandos of Sudeley, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon, 2nd Viscount Wilton and 2nd Marquess of Carnarvon.
King George II remarked "there is my Lord Carnarvon, a hot headed, passionate, half-witted coxcomb."

Ann, Duchess of Chandos, died 9 August 1759 at Keynsham Abbey, Somerset without male issue.

MICHAEL DAHL (1659-1743) was born in Stockholm; after studying in Paris, Rome and Frankfurt he settled in London in 1689. He soon became the best patronised portrait painter in England after Kneller. He was much employed at the Court painting many portraits.

SIZE:canvas 29.5 x 24 inches.
Framed: 37.5 x 32.25 inches.
PROVENANCE: Oxfordshire Private Collection for many years.
VERSO: Handwritten label dated 1866 with much information, including the writer's opinion that this portrait was by Sir Peter Lely in 1727. This is a typical Victorian wishful attribution....Lely died in 1688! He also thought that Ann married John Brydges (rather than Henry) and that she died in 1741. Modern records say otherwise. Writing 120 years after the portrait was painted Mr. Atkinson was obviously relying on faulty family memories.
The portrait was bought in 1847 by the writer for his wife who was a member of the Wells family. They had the painting cleaned and lined in 1866.