Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and her Son

The Duchess of Devonshire was one of the most celebrated and beautiful women in late eighteenth-century British society. She was known for her informal manners and dress and led an energetic social life. This unfinished miniature by Cosway depicts Georgiana holding her third child and only son, both dressed in loose, classical robes. This kind of portrait, meant to suggest the tender intimacy between a mother and son, reflected changing definitions of motherhood and family relationships.