A Who's Who of Tudor Women casts doubt about the identity of the sitter, "ELEANOR BENLOWES (1545-1565+) The portrait called "Eleanor Benlowes," dated 1565 and containing the information that the sitter was twenty years old, is sometimes said to be Eleanor Palmer, second wife of William Benlowes or Bendlows of Brent Hall, Finchingfield, Essex (1516-November 19, 1584). However, Eleanor Palmer, apparently the youngest daughter of Sir Edward Palmer of Angmering, Sussex (c.1490-1517) and Alice Clement, was born c.1504 and was therefore much too old to have been the sitter. Eleanor Palmer was the widow of John Berners of Finchingfield, Sussex when she married Benlowes, having married Berners sometime after the death of his first wife (Elizabeth Wiseman) on January 23, 1523. Eleanor and William Benlowes are known to have had one son, William Benlowes (d.1613) and one daughter. It seems likely that the Eleanor Benlowes of the painting was either that daughter or their daughter-in-law. Portrait: attributed to Steven van der Meulen, 1565."
From katmax1's albums on Webshots.
Eleonore Benlowe's wears a black dress or over-dress with a collar of its own over a white chemise that supports a ruff that cradles her head. Her dress is decorated with white puffs of cloth and pearls.
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