Copy of a Marble of The Countess of Leicester (1700–1775)

Wife of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester.

Provenance: Although there is no specific mention of where it was displayed, this bust and that of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester were executed as a matching pair.

Lady Margaret Tufton was the third of five daughters of the Earl of Thanet, and entered into an arranged marriage with Thomas Coke in 1718, two weeks after her 18th birthday. She kept the household accounts in her own handwriting from 1730 for at least 30 years, and wrote detailed inventories of the house, which survive today. When Thomas Coke died in 1759, Lady Margaret faithfully completed the work to the house to his exact specification, and continued to live at Holkham until her death in 1775. Roubilliac/Chantrey's bust does justice to this remarkable lady.