Edmund Prideaux (1693-1745)
William Aikman (Cairnie 1682 - London 1731)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1730
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
2258 x 1344 mm
Order this imageCollection
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
NT 355554
Caption
The sitter is identifiable by the coat of arms on the plinth and by his connections with the Hobarts of Blickling, where this hangs amongst other portraits of ‘Norfolk Worthies’. Although he was from an ancient Cornish family, Edmund was associated with Norwich. His father, the noted Orientalist, Humphrey Prideaux, was Dean of Norwich, and Edmund married Hannah Wrench, who came from that city. He made a Grand Tour of Italy (probably in 1739), during which he collected a number of Roman antiquities and pictures. Afterwards, he set about transforming the interior and exterior of Prideaux Place, his large E-plan house, which is shown in the background. He transformed the grounds with garden buildings and a wilderness with serpentine paths.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Edmund Prideaux (1693-1745) by William Aikman (Forfar 1682 – London 1731). In full wig, wearing brown coat, white cravat and white linen-frilled cuffs, hose and black buckled shoes. Left hand on hip above sword hilt, right hand resting on book on pedestal. Standing in front of curtained archway with view of town by river with boats. Identified by the arms on the plinth and the view of Prideaux Place, Padstow, his residence that appears in the background. A university friend of Hobart and a bibliophile, he drew views of Blickling around 1727.
Provenance
Bequeathed with the hall and contents by Philip,11th Marquess of Lothian (1882-1940)
Credit line
Blickling Hall, The Lothian Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
William Aikman (Cairnie 1682 - London 1731), publisher