Oval 4cm, enamel in a gold frame, the reverse engraved with the monogram ‘JE’ and an earl’s coronet.
On his father’s death in 1700, John inherited an extraordinary collection of paintings and works of art, which his parents, the 5th Earl and Countess, had amassed on four Grand Tours of the Continent.
Unfortunately, the estate was heavily in debt as a result and he was able to do very little at Burghley during his two decades as holder of the earldom.
Charles Boit was a Swedish-born painter in vitreous enamels, who spent most of his working life in England, Austria and France.
