Even though the artist for this painting is unknown, I wanted to research it because it is so unusual. I saw this painting at the Tate Britain in London and it caught my attention right away. The description explains that the two ladies are sisters who were born on the same day, married on the same day and gave birth on the same day. In fact, there is a barely visible inscription on the lower left of the painting that reads: "Two Ladies of the Cholmondeley Family who were born on the same day, married on the same day, and brought to bed on the same day."
Although the two ladies appear identical, there are numerous differences in the details of their clothing and facial characteristics. In fact, their eyes are different colors indicating that they were not identical twins. The painting is known as "The Cholmondeley Ladies" and Cholmondeley is pronounced "Chum - lee". It is believed to have been painted sometime between 1600 and 1610 and it remained in the Cholmondeley family until it was donated anonymously to the Tate in 1955.