Dorothy Boyle, Countess Of Burlington And Countess Of Cork

Dorothy Boyle, Countess of Burlington and Countess of Cork (née Savile) was born on 13 September 1699 and died on 21 September 1758. She was a British noblewoman and a court official, as well as an artist known for caricatures and portrait paintings, including studies of her daughters. She was the daughter of William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax, and Lady Mary Finch, daughter of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl Nottingham and 7th Earl of Winchilsea. Dorothy was a co-heiress of her father's estate. Her siblings included two brothers who died young and a sister, Lady Mary, married to Sackville, 7th Earl of Thanet. From her father's first marriage to Elizabeth Grimston, she had a half-sister Lady Anne, married to the 3rd Earl of Ailesbury.

Dorothy became orphaned in 1718 upon her mother's death and subsequently resided with her grandfather, Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, at Burley on the Hill. She inherited approximately £30,000 and an annual income of £1,600. Her early suitors included Scroop Egerton, 4th Earl of Bridgewater, who pursued her for over a year. Despite efforts, including petitions to her grandfather, she declined marriage proposals from Bridgewater and others, choosing instead to marry Lord Burlington in 1721, who was known as the "architect Earl" and shared her interest in the arts.

As an artist, Dorothy Boyle studied portrait drawing and painting, working with William Kent, with whom she shared a residence for three decades. Her training also involved study with Joseph Goupy and possibly Charles Jervas, the King's portrait painter. She was skilled in caricature and quick portrait sketches, with Horace Walpole noting her talent in drawing likenesses rapidly. Boyle created numerous artworks, 24 of which are part of the Chatsworth House collection, including pastel studies, oil paintings of her daughters, and a portrait of Princess Amelia. She also produced a sketch titled "Woman at Harpsichord, with a Dog and a Cat" and made a portrait of Alexander Pope from memory shortly after his death.

In 1727, Dorothy Boyle was appointed as one of Queen Caroline's Ladies of the Bedchamber. Her manner was described by Lord Hervey as resembling that of "a cringing House-Maid." She was a supporter of philanthropic causes, notably signing Thomas Coram’s 1735 petition for the establishment of the Foundling Hospital, which later saw her and her husband becoming involved as a governor.

She maintained close ties with the arts community, supporting figures such as David Garrick and George Frideric Handel. A correspondence exists between Boyle and Garrick, including a letter from October 1750. She also supported the actress Eva Marie Veigel, who lived with her at Burlington House before marrying Garrick in 1749; initially, Boyle was opposed to the marriage but later approved.

Dorothy Boyle contributed to urban development by designing plans for Savile Street (later Savile Row) in Mayfair, which was built by 1735 on land owned by merchant tailor William Maddox. The street became renowned for its high-end tailoring establishments.

She married Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, on 21 March 1721. The couple resided at Chiswick House, Londesborough in Yorkshire, and Burlington House in London. Their children included three daughters: Dorothy (1724–1742), Julianna (1727–1730), and Charlotte (1731–1754). Her eldest daughter married the Earl of Euston but died of smallpox just before turning eighteen. Her youngest daughter Charlotte married William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, who later became the 4th Duke of Devonshire; Charlotte also died of smallpox in 1754.

Upon her death in 1758, her estate passed to her grandson, William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire. The artworks and correspondence of Dorothy Boyle have been preserved through her descendants, notably through her daughter Charlotte.