Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire, Portrait as Cynthia from Spenser's 'The Faerie Queen'
Jan. 1, 1783
Medium
Mezzotint in black on cream laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 63.2 × 38.5 cm (24 15/16 × 15 3/16 in.); Sheet: 68.2 × 43.5 cm (26 7/8 × 17 3/16 in.)
Classification
prints and drawing
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
265180
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This striking mezzotint by Valentine Green captures Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, as the moon goddess Cynthia from Edmund Sp’s epic poem *The Faerie Queene*. Created in 1783, the print reflects the late eighteenth-century fascination with literary allegory and classical mythology among Britain’s aristocracy. Georgiana, one of the most celebrated figures of her day, was known for her beauty, political influence, and patronage of the arts; portraying her as a celestial huntress elevated her public image while connecting contemporary society to Renaissance ideals of virtue and grace. Green’s...