Portraits of the "It" girl of her time and her mother to be offered at Bonhams

LONDON.- A painting of Harriet Rushout, one of the celebrated sisters and society beauties known as 'The Three Graces' born to John Rushout, Baron Northwick of Northwick Park (1738-1800) and his wife, Rebecca is in Bonhams Fine Miniature Portrait sale on 19th November in Knightsbridge. It is estimated to sell for £8,000-12,000.

Lot 103 shows Harriet Cockerell née Rushout (d.1851), wearing a white dress and white bandeau in her powdered hair. The Henry Bone (1755-1834) preparatory sketch for this portrait, dated 1810, is housed at the National Portrait Gallery.

Harriet married Sir Charles Cockerell, 1st Bt. on 13 February 1808 and the couple had a son, Charles Cockerell Rushout, 2nd Bt. (1809-1869) and a daughter, Harriet Anne (b.1812).

It is easy to see where Harriet got her looks from as a portrait of her mother Rebecca, also in this sale as lot 102, is estimated to sell for £7,000 to £9,000.

Lot 102 shows The Hon. Lady Rebecca Northwick née Bowles (1740-1818), wearing white dress and fichu wrapped around her neck, her hair powdered beneath a white turban.

Rebecca Bowles was the daughter of Humphrey Bowles and Hannah Hurst. On 3 June 1766 at Wanstead in Essex, she married John Rushout, MP (1738-1800), 1st Baron Northwick of Northwick Park. The couple had three daughters, Anne (d.1849), Harriet (d.1851) and Elizabeth (1774-1862), and two sons. The sisters were renowned for their beauty and charm during their lifetimes and the sisters were painted together many times.

Jennifer Tonkin, Head of the Portrait Miniatures department comments: “Bone’s triple-portrait of ‘The Three Graces’ is one of the most interesting and memorable miniatures we’ve auctioned in recent years and it remains to this day, the most recognisable image of the Ladies Rushout. This idealised portrayal of timeless English beauty is represented here again in Bone's enamels of Harriet Rushout and her