LONDON.- The Foundling Museum has acquired a painting by celebrated 18thcentury artist Andrea Soldi of Isabella, Duchess of Manchester, one of Thomas Coram’s key female supporters who provided the catalyst for the establishment of the Foundling Hospital. This is a significant acquisition for the Museum, being the only portrait of a female supporter of the Foundling Hospital, prior to its foundation in 1739, to enter the Foundling Museum Collection and one of the first paintings of a woman to hang permanently in the Museum’s Picture Gallery.

The acquisition of the portrait has been made possible with the help of Art Fund, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, The Friends of Thomas Coram, and a number of generous individuals donors.

The acquisition follows the success of the Museum’s year-long programme in 2018 that marked the centenary of female suffrage. In particular, its acclaimed exhibition Ladies of Quality & Distinction which featured the portrait of Isabella, Duchess of Manchester, alongside portraits of the other 21 Ladies who were Thomas Coram’s first supporters. In the face of male indifference and risking society’s disapproval, these women put their names to the first petition submitted to King George II in 1735, that called for the establishment of a home for ‘abandoned and deserted young children’. The support of these pioneering women was crucial in overcoming moral concerns about Coram’s project, enabling his campaign to gain the critical momentum that led to the establishment of the UK’s first children’s charity.

On 6 January 1730, the Duchess of Manchester became the fifth Lady to sign Coram’s petition. Her husband would subsequently put his name to the Royal Charter in 1739. Now hanging permanently in the Museum’s Picture Gallery, this acquisition is complemented by two other paintings of women. A portrait of Charlotte, Duchess of Somerset (the petition’s first signatory) attributed to Charles D’Agar, on loan to the Museum from Lord Egremont, is joined by a portrait of Beatrice Forbes, one of the Foundling Hospital’s five female Governors, painted in 1906 by William Carter. Together, these three paintings are a landmark in the Picture Gallery’s permanent display, which until now has never included a portrait of a woman. Surrounded by paintings of the male governors who were the public face of the charity, these three portraits enable visitors to appreciate the crucial role that women played not only in establishing the Foundling Hospital, but also in shaping British society.

These paintings are an important milestone in the Museum’s ongoing programme of acquiring and exhibiting art that reveals the story of the Foundling Hospital, and reflects its mission to celebrate the power of individuals and the arts to change lives. From its establishment in 1739, the Foundling Hospital was supported by leading contemporary British artists. Led by William Hogarth, they raised the charity’s profile and galvanized support by donating work, creating the UK’s first public art gallery in the process. Artists are central to the Foundling Hospital story. The Foundling Museum reflects this by presenting a diverse programme of exhibitions and displays that offer different ways to engage with its remarkable story.

Caro Howell, Director of the Foundling Museum, said: ‘There can be no better legacy for our 2018 programming than to have one of the 21 ladies of quality and distinction enter the Museum’s Collection. Alongside Lord Egremont’s generous loan of Charlotte, Duchess of Somerset, the portrait of Isabella, Duchess of Manchester is an important reminder that all of us stand on the shoulders not just of giants, but giantesses too. We are immensely grateful to the generous organisations and individuals who supported the acquisition. In particular, Art Fund and the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, without whom this hugely important addition to our Collection would not have been possible. ’

Stephen Deuchar, Director of Art Fund, said: ‘The Duchess of Manchester played her part in a movement that reshaped the course of British history, and we’re very pleased to be helping the Foundling Museum secure her portrait for their Collection: it’s a fitting legacy to their fine exhibition last year which told the story of the remarkable ladies of quality and distinction who first helped establish the Foundling Hospital.’

Julia Brettell, National Programmes Manager for the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund said: ‘The Arts Council England/ V&A Purchase Grant Fund is pleased to support the acquisition of this marvellous portrait. It will enable the Foundling Museum to offer a more balanced story of women’s’ involvement with the Hospital: not just as petitioners but also as philanthropists.’