Follower of Sir Godfrey Kneller

The sitter was the daughter of Elihu Yale (c. 1648-1721), founder of Yale college in New Haven, Connecticut, and his wife Catherine (1651-1728), widow of Yale's business partner Joseph Hynmers. Catherine and her siblings were born in Madras where her father was in business, and did not arrive in England until 1689. She later married Dudley North of Glemham (for a portrait of whom see lots 52 and 54).