Unknown Man
attributed to Corneille de Lyon (The Hague 1500/10 – Lyon 1575)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1555 - 1565
Materials
Oil on panel
Measurements
178 x 165 mm (7 x 6 1/2 in)
Order this imageCollection
Polesden Lacey, Surrey
NT 1246457
Caption
This picture has been paired a portrait of Catherine de’ Medici (Polesden Lacey, National Trust 1246458) since at least the early eighteenth century which led to the misidentification of the sitter as her husband, King Henry II of France, who died at the age of 40. The relatively poor condition of the surface makes it difficult to attribute this picture to Corneille de Lyon definitively.
Summary
Oil painting on panel, Unknown Man, attributed to Corneille de Lyon (The Hague 1500/10 – Lyons 1575). Head and shoulders portrait of an elderly bearded man, turned slightly to the right, gazing at the spectator, wearing a black coat with ermine/lynx collar and flat black cap, green background.
Provenance
Francois-Roger de Gaignieres (?1644 - 1715); sold to Louis XIV with all his collections in 1711, but not received by the Crown until after their respective deaths, in 1716; sold, along with all the other paintings, in 1717; possibly bought by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, marquis de Torcy (1665 - 1746); imported into England at the Revolution; Adelbert, 3rd and last Earl Brownlow (1844 - 1921) by 1890; thence by descent to his cousin, Adelbert, 5th Baron Brownlow (1867 - 1927); his son, Peregrine, 6th Baron Brownlow (1899 - 1978) of Belton (NT); by whom sold at Christie's, 3 May 1929, lot 10 (with supposed companion - NT 1246458); bought Colnaghi, from whom it was acquired by Mrs Greville, 1935; The bequest of Margaret (Anderson) McEwan, The Hon. Mrs Ronald - later Dame Margaret - Henry Fulke Greville, DBE (1863-1942) from probate records linked with the donation of the property to the National Trust in 1943. This item found on the record for Polesden Lacey pictures, drawings etc., stored in the cellar, page 174.
Credit line
Polesden Lacey, The McEwan Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
A699 (in ink and on label on back of stretcher)
Makers and roles
attributed to Corneille de Lyon (The Hague 1500/10 – Lyon 1575), artist
References
Groër, 1996: Anne Dubois de Groër, Corneille de La Haye, dit Corneille de Lyon, Paris, 1996, no. 55