An Unknown Man
British (English) School
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1770 - 1799
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
737 x 610 mm (29 x 24 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Cragside, Northumberland
NT 1230237
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, An Unknown Man, British (English) School, late 18th century. A half-length portrait of a gentleman, his body facing the viewer, his head turned to the left, wearing a dark green coat and white cravat. He holds a manuscript in his left hand, on which is written Anno Primo/ GULIELMI & MARIAE/ Declaring the rights.... which he rests on a book, title on the spine: LAWS OF EVID[ENCES]/ William and Mary accepted the Declaration of Rights before being proclaimed Soveriegns in 1689. There is no known reason why a portrait of a gentleman with the Bill of Rights should be at Cragside, except that he must have been a lawyer. To the left appears a cloudy sky and to the right a fluted pillar.
Provenance
Armstrong collection. Transferred by the Treasury to The National Trust in 1977 via the National Land Fund, aided by 3rd Baron Armstrong of Bamburgh and Cragside (1919 - 1987).
Credit line
Cragside, The Armstrong Collection (acquired through the National Land Fund and transferred to the National Trust in 1977)
Marks and inscriptions
Recto: faintly inscribed on the manuscript: MAGNA CARTA Recto: on the manuscript:Anno Primo / GULIELMI & MARIAE / Declaring the rights… Recto: on the spine of the book: LAWS OF EVID[ENCE] [?]
Makers and roles
British (English) School, artist possibly J. S. C. Schaak (1728-1809), artist