John Meller (1665-1733), Master of the High Court of Chancery
Charles Jervas (Dublin 1675 – London 1739)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1715 - 1780 (in Yorke's notebook)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1251 x 997 mm. (49 1/4 x 39 1/4 in)
Order this imageCollection
Erddig, Wrexham
NT 1151296
Summary
Oil painting on canvas. Painting of John Meller (1665-1733), Master of the High Court of Chancery by Charles Jervas (Dublin 1675 – London 1739) and Thomas Gainsborough (Sudbury 1727 - London 1788), circa 1715 & 1780. A three-quarter-length portrait, wearing black robes and white collar, a periwig and holding a rolled document in his left hand. Extensively re-touched by Gainsborough - the original red robes are visible in places underneath the black.
Provenance
In note book of Philip Yorke I, 1780; '..Last payt. of my own picture 31. 10/For new dressing Mr Mellers' ditto 5. 5.' and thence by descent; given by Philip Yorke III (1905 – 1978) along with the estate, house and contents to the National Trust in 1973
Credit line
Erddig, The Yorke Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
Recto: Inscribed top left in gold (19th century): 'nobis haec otia fecit' Recto: Inscribed in black, with coat of arms, upper right: John Meller of Erthigg Esqr/one of the Masters of the High Court / of Chancery. obit. 1733, Aetat. 68 Recto: Inscribed on gold paper, attached to bottom of frame: JOHN MELLOR, Master in Chancery. (Born 1652, died 1733.) He purchased Erddig in 1709 from one Edisbury. & left it to his Sister’s Son, - Simon Yorke.
Makers and roles
Charles Jervas (Dublin 1675 – London 1739), artist Thomas Gainsborough RA (Sudbury 1727 - London 1788), artist previously catalogued as attributed to John Verelst (fl. 1698 - London 1734), artist
References
Erddig 1914 Chronicles of Erthig on the Dyke by Albina Lucy Cust, (2 vols) 1914 , vol.?, pp.146-48, & pl. opp. p. 148 Steegman 1957 John Steegman, A Survey of Portraits in Welsh Houses, Vol.I: North Wales, Cardiff, 1957, p.94. "PORTRAITS AT ERDDIG, WREXHAM 1. JOHN MELLER (1652-1733). A Master -in-Chancery; he bought Erddig in 1709, after the bankruptcy of Joshua Edisbury for whom it was built temp. James II and bequeathed it to his sister's son, Simon Yorke (see no.3). Anon. c.1715/ TQL, seated slightly to r.; wearing black gown and white periwig; holding a doument. The house-list attributes the portrait to "Verelst", but there is little resemblance between this and nos 4 and 5." Waterson, 1980: Merlin Waterson, The Servants' Hall. A Domestic History of Erddig, Routledge & Kegan 1980, pp. 49 & 218, & fig. 19 (p. 23). Erddig, Clwyd: 1995 [The National Trust] 1995, p.45 "DINING ROOM PICTURES ? CHARLES JERVAS (c.1675-1739) and THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH RA (1727-88) John Meller (1665-1733) A prosperou;s lawyer, he bought Erddig in 1716, adding the two wings between 1721 and 1724, and introducing much of the superb furniture still in the house, which he bequeathed to his nephew, Simon Yorke I. Painted in c.1715 and drastically reworked in 1780 by Gainsborough, who retained only the face and background."