Catherine Stephens, Countess of Essex
- Artist: John Jackson
- Date: circa 1822
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 30 1/4 in. x 25 1/4 in. (768 mm x 641 mm)
- Portrays: Catherine Capell-Coningsby (née Stephens), Countess of Essex
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is John Jackson’s portrait, “Catherine Stephens, Countess of Essex.” In front of the canvas you’ll see her seated, wearing a modest yet elegant gown that hints at early 1820s fashion. Her left hand holds a musical score—an emblem of her famed stage career—and she looks directly out, a confident gaze that suggests the singer’s presence.
The painting is an oil on canvas in a feigned oval format, about thirty inches tall and twenty‑five across. Jackson captures light gently across her face, the softness of her hair framing the composition. The background is plain, drawing all attention to her figure and the score.
Jackson first exhibited this work at the Royal Academy in 1822 when Stephens was at the peak of her opera career. She debuted at Covent Garden in 1813, stayed until 1822, retired in 1835, then became Countess after marrying the elderly Earl of Essex. This portrait celebrates that stage‑to‑sacred‑house transition.
See it in person
Catherine Stephens, Countess of Essex is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
