Called John Bourchier (1684-1736)
attributed to Jonathan Richardson the elder (London 1665 – London 1745)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1720
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
762 x 635 mm (30 x 25 in)
Order this imageCollection
Beningbrough Hall, North Yorkshire
NT 1191146
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, identified as John Bourchier (1684-1736), attributed to Jonathan Richardson the elder (London 1665 – London 1745), circa 1720. A painted oval head-and-shoulders portrait, to the left, head facing, in a long wig, wearing a lace cravat and mauve cloak. John Bourchier was the builder of the current Beningbrough Hall. See images for label on the reverse for the Reynolds Gallery, London and a date/page reference, probably for the gallery's log book recording entry of the painting after being sent for cleaning. 'No. 105' appears to be the entry for a Beningbrough paintings catalogue also drawn up in 1892, no copy of which survives.
Full description
This work is one of many family portraits found in Beningbrough Hall when it was inherited by Lewis and Victoria Dawnay in 1891. Lewis Dawnay sold some of these, with others being conserved and catalogued by John Lewis Rutley jnr (Reynolds Gallery) in 1892; Rutley's inventory label can be found on the reverse of the frame for this work stating 'Portrait of a Gentleman of the Queen Anne Period'. The work is evidently a pair for the female portrait NT 1191142 and both are listed in the 1958 auction catalogue for Beningbrough as the father and mother of John Bourchier of Beningbrough (presumably John Bourchier jnr). It is possible that both were originally fixed into the wainscotting above the doors of the original ground floor State Bedroom at Beningbrough which was knocked through with the neighbouring withdrawing room to create the eastern half of the current Drawing Room in 1891/2. The other three principal bedrooms at Beningbrough contain what appear to be husband and wife portraits of previous 17th century owners of the Beningbrough estate, running in chronological order from first floor to ground and these two, likely showing the builders of the 'new' hall, would therefore have been the concluding pair. The 1759 will of their son and heir, John Bourchier junior, specifies that "family pictures" fixed into the wainscoting must remain in the house, suggesting a particular significance was placed upon these portraits.
Provenance
Inherited with house by Lewis Payan Dawnay in 1891; purchased by Lady Chesterfield with house in 1917; Curtis and Henson sale catalogue, June 1958, lot 1164, as "A bust portrait of John, father of John Bourchier of Beningbrough, with powdered wig, mauve cloak and white stock (in oval)", "by or attributed to" Sir Godfrey Kneller; accepted in lieu of tax from HM Treasury, from the estate of Lady Chesterfield (1878-1957) in 1958.
Marks and inscriptions
On the back of the painting, similar to the label on CMS 1191142: Colonel the Hon. L. P. Dawnay / No.105
Makers and roles
attributed to Jonathan Richardson the elder (London 1665 – London 1745), artist previously catalogued as attributed to British (English) School, artist