Sir George Lyttelton, Bart., later Baron Lyttelton, with Lt. Col. Richard Lyttelton, later Gen. Sir Richard Lyttelton, K.B., and Rachel (Russell), Duchess of Bridgwater

This painting is an example of a “conversation piece,” a type of portrait that shows the sitters engaged in conversation. Lord Lyttelton, on the left, commissioned this painting to commemorate the marriage of his younger brother, who leans toward his new wife, while an eager dog—a symbol of fidelity—jumps beside them. The painting not only celebrates a marriage but also marks the recent death of Lord Lyttelton’s wife, whom he mourned deeply. He points to a ruined monument, a symbol of death and dissolution, perhaps to warn his brother of the brevity of earthly happiness.