Sir John Lindsay (1737-1788) joined the Royal Navy, reaching the rank of Rear Admiral of the Red in 1787.

Lindsay was appointed a Knight of the Bath while serving in India, and he is portrayed by Foye wearing Roman Imperial military dress. Lindsay sailed extensively in the Caribbean, America and East Indies, and during his early service, he had a liaison with a black woman called Maria Bell. Their illegitimate daughter, Dido Elizabeth Belle, born in 1761, was brought up at Kenwood by Lord and Lady Mansfield. Dido Belle, her mother and father Lindsay, are a fascinating connection for Kenwood, its residents and black history research.

Provenance

Christie's, New York, 1970s; Edwin Cohen. The work has been vetted by the Art Loss Register.


Back to top