During the 18^th and 19^th century, it was fashionable for wealthy British families to send their sons, and occasionally daughters, on a Grand Tour. This saw privileged young men and women setting off usually from London to travel across Europe. The tourists were affluent enough to spend multiple years on the Tour. They would often carry letters of introduction with them to integrate into society while abroad.

John Carr (1764-1817) and Harriet Carr (1771-1848) were siblings who set out on their Grand Tour in 1791, returning to England in 1794. They were the children of successful northern businessman Ralph Carr and his wife Isabella.

Ralph and Isabella were initially against Harriet going on the Grand Tour but eventually gave their approval because it was thought that the tour would benefit Harriet’s health – she had a cough thought to be tuberculosis. Some of their objections were around fears of the political situation in Europe and potential dangers to travellers. John and Harriet’s ultimate destination was Italy, travelling via France and Switzerland.

John and Harriet spent almost six months in Rome with short trips to Bologna, Florence, Naples, and Turin. They had planned to leave for England in early 1792 but the outbreak of the Franco-Austrian War prevented this. They returned to Florence in May 1792, staying there until November 1793. In December 1793 John and Harriet made a final visit to Rome before leaving for England and arriving home in the summer of 1794.  

Almost all of Harriet’s Grand Tour letters include reference to her interest in art and her efforts to improve her own artistic knowledge and skills. While in Italy she created a number of paintings and portraits which she brought home with her.

Harriet mentions the portrait of Georgiana in a letter to her mother written on 24^th December 1792 (ZCE/F/1/1/4/6) – ‘I have succeeded in making a tolerable Likeness of the Duchess of Devonshire, a thing that has not often been done before, as she is Difficulty personified …’.

This painting is of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806), wife of William, 5th Duke of Devonshire. The Cavendish family were at height of British aristocratic society and Harriet’s association with Georgiana shows the social circles John and Harriet belonged to while on the Grand Tour.

At this time Georgiana was effectively living in exile in Europe. On 20 February 1792 she secretly gave birth, in France, to a daughter, Eliza, the illegitimate child of Charles Grey of Falloden, Northumberland. Georgiana spent much of the period 1791-1793 in Europe before returning home to her husband in London in September 1793.