Riding Side-Saddle

An appealing (unframed) watercolour of a young lady riding side-saddle and wearing black riding attire, her hat trimmed ostrich feathers and a blue veil.

The talented artist was Lady Augusta Minna Lyons Howard (1821-1886), daughter of Sir Edmund Lyons, British minister to Greece. It was in Greece that Lady Augusta met her future husband, Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard (later the 14th Duke of Norfolk). Whilst a guest, Lord Fitzalan fell ill and was taken care of by Lady Augusta with whom he then fell in love. The pair married in 1839 and together had eleven children.