The Famous Play-Actress, Mistress Dorothea Jordan. 1905.

For Sale is a Full Page removed from "The Sphere, February 4th, 1905," showing a Picture of "The Famous Play-Actress, Mistress Dorothea Jordan as Painted by John Hoppner."

Miss Jordan was an Irishwoman and was born in 1762.  Her grandfather is said to have been a parson; her father, whose name was certainly Bland, was merely a stage underling.  She began her career as a milliner and made her firt appearance on the stage in 1777 in Dublin.  Mr. Joseph Knight, the veteran dramatic critic,declares that as an actress in comedy Mrs. Jordan could have had few equals.  It is, however, on her social side that Mrs. Jordan is remembered by posterity, for through King William IV. she founded the family of FitzClarence, enobled as Earls of Munster, bearing four sons, and five daughters.  One of these daughters was the grandmother of the Duke of Fife.  A curious mystery envelopes the end of her days.  She died under the name of Johnson in a shabby house at St.Cloud on July 3rd, 1816. The beautiful portrait of her by Hoppner, who predeceased her by six years, is published in "The Art Folio," the new art publication issued by C. W. Faulkner.  The method of reproducing is the same as that in "The Great Masters" series which was issued by Mr. heinemann.  The original picture is in Mrs. Styan's collection.

Condition is Very Good.