CHURCHILL, Miss Marie Heyl (Mrs Harold Baring)

The sitter was the daughter of John Augustus Churchill (born 1844) and Harriet S. Heyl of New York, who also had a son, George A. Heyl Churchill (born 1869). Her father was a wealthy dry goods merchant. Her husband, whom she married on 24 October 1898, Harold Herman John Baring MBE, was born 4 March 1869 and died 10 December 1927.

A picture of this subject is alleged to have been painted in London in 1898, according to the newspaper cuttings cited in the Bibliography.The New York Times wrote:

‘A Muller-Ury, the young Bavarian [Munich-trained they mean] portrait painter, who has been in New York during the past four or five Winters, where he has acquired considerable reputation, is now in London engaged in painting portraits of sveeral of the nobility. His success there has been so good that it is probable that he will remain there for a year or two, but he may come to Newport on a visit next month. Mr Muller-Ury has been asked to paint the portrait of the New York beauty Miss Marie Churchill, who has recently become engaged to Harold Baring of the banking firm of Baring Brothers, and who is now in London. If the artist paints Miss Churchill it is probable he will pose her in the costume of a Venetian Princess, which she wore at the Bradley Martin Ball, and in which she made a remarkably effective picture.’

Unfortunately the Baring family archives cannot confirm that a portrait was painted by Müller-Ury before her wedding that year, nor is any portrait known.