Ellen Power, reclining and reading a letter, surrounded by three pet dogs. Etching by T. Landseer, ca. 1841, after E.H. Landseer.

Ellen ('Nelly') Power (born ca.1817) was the niece of Margaret, Countess of Blessington. With her elder sister Marguerite she lived with Lady Blessington 1831-1849 and with Alfred, comte dOrsay 1849-1852. The date and circumstances of her death have not been finally established. The 4th Marquess of Hertford is known to have visited Gore House, Lady Blessingtons London home 1836-49, where he would probably have met Nelly Power and possibly Landseer. Landseer was a frequent visitor and is said to have proposed to Nelly. On 13 March 1840 he wrote to dOrsay, telling him that he had got into a scrape with Queen Victoria for staying away from Buckingham Palace to draw Miss Power (adapted from the Wallace Collection online catalogue).