When Anthony van Dyck painted Portrait of Lady d'Aubigny and Countess Portland in 1638, he was at the height of his fame as court painter to King Charles I of England. What makes this portrait remarkable is that it brings together two of the most influential women at the Stuart court, both of whom played key roles in the political and social intrigues of the era. Lady d'Aubigny, Katherine Howard, was famed for her wit and loyalty, while Elizabeth Bentinck, Countess of Portland, was a trusted confidante of Queen Henrietta Maria.

Their friendship and rivalry were the subject of court gossip, and van Dyck's painting captures this delicate balance at a time when alliances could mean survival or exile. The two women are positioned side by side, their gazes directed outward, yet their bodies subtly angled toward each other—a gesture that hints at both solidarity and competition. Lady d'Aubigny holds a delicate fan, a symbol of status and feminine grace, while the Countess’s hand rests lightly on a table draped with rich fabric, suggesting her own claim to authority and wealth. The interplay of light on their faces and silks draws the eye to the contrast between Lady d'Aubigny's reserved elegance and the Countess’s more assertive presence.

This dual portrait, unlike earlier, more formal depictions of court ladies, such as those by Daniel Mytens, gives a sense of immediacy and psychological depth, inviting viewers to speculate on the relationship between the sitters. Though the exact circumstances of the commission are not fully documented, it is likely that the portrait was intended for a private audience, perhaps as a gift or a statement of alliance within the court. After van Dyck’s death in 1641, many of his English works were dispersed during the upheavals of the Civil War; the fate of this painting is unclear for much of the eighteenth century. It reemerged in a London collection in the nineteenth century, attributed to Van Dyck on the strength of its refined brushwork and the distinctive rendering of textiles.

Today, Portrait of Lady d'Aubigny and Countess Portland stands as a testament to van Dyck's ability to capture both the grandeur and the subtle tensions of Stuart society.