William Lightfoot (1724-1764)

William Lightfoot was a son of Philip Lightfoot and Mary Armistead Lightfoot of Sandy Point. He inherited Sandy Point. He married Mildred Howell. His children included Mary Lightfoot and Mildred Lightfoot. This portrait appears to have been painted in England.

Reference: Family history of portraits once hanging at Sandy Point: “There is preserved a portrait of William Lightfoot, with date 1750, full length, life size, in blue court dress; a portrait of his brother Philip, same size and style, in red court dress. These portraits were pronounced very fine by Volkmar, the best authority in this line. he said the only ones he had ever seen like them were some sent him to be cleaned by General Robert E. Lee, and identified them positively as the work of Hudson, the master of Sir Joshua Reynolds.”

Dimensions: 59 x 49 in. (149.86 x 124.46 cm.)

The subject wears a blue jacket that is elaborately trimmed over an elaborately trimmed waistcoat in a different color. His right hand is tucked into his waistcoat and his left hand is on his hip. He is turned three-quarters to his right. He stands outdoors.

See: Lyon G. Tyler, “The Lightfoot Family,” William and Mary Quarterly 3, 2 (October 1895): 110; FARL