The Seven Eldest Children of Captain Francis Delaval and Rhoda Apreece: Rhoda Delaval, later Lady Astley (1725 - 1757), Sir Francis Blake Delaval (1727 - 1771), Edward Delaval (1729 - 1814), John Hussey Delaval, later Lord Delaval (1728-1808), Anne Delaval, later Lady Stanhope (1737 - 1812), Sarah Delaval, later Countess of Mexborough (1742 - 1821), and Elizabeth Delaval (dates unknown)
possibly Rhoda Delaval, Lady Astley (1725 - 1757)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1751
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
2692 x 1625 mm (106 x 64 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland
NT 1276686
Caption
For some time the central figure was thought to be Rhoda Apreece, since her name appears on a tablet on the frame. She must, however, be Rhoda Delaval, especially in light of comparison with Pond’s other portrait of her, in which she wears the same dress, with flowers tucked into her bodice. It seems probable that her other siblings are not shown here because they had been sent away to other family houses, given the space constraints at Seaton Delaval. Arthur Pond was a portraitist (who also painted two views of Seaton Delaval), who was also employed to teach the family how to paint. Rhoda Delaval was a particularly accomplished amateur artist.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Seven Eldest Children of Captain Francis Delaval and Rhoda Apreece: Rhoda Delaval, later Lady Astley 1725 – 57), Sir Francis Blake Delaval (1727 – 71), John Hussey, Lord Delaval (1728 – 1806), Edward Delaval (1729 – 1814), Anne, later Lady Stanhope (1737 – 1812) Sarah, later Countess of Mexborough (1742 – 1821), and Elizabeth (dates unknown), possibly by Rhoda Delaval, circa 1751. Rhoda Delaval shown centre, in a landscape, two of her brothers to the left, entwined, and another brother behind her; her three sisters shown seated bottom right. A version of the present picture – probably the prime original – is at Doddington Hall (DN57). Although DN57 has been attributed to Arthur Pond by Martin Postle, Postle also writes that the ‘the style and handling’ of DN57 are nonetheless ‘quite distinct’ from a group portrait firmly established as a work by Pond (Doddington Hall, DN64; the artist received payment for this picture in March 1749, see Lippincot 1988, p. 304). Postle has suggested that the present picture may be by Rhoda Delaval (Martin Postle, ‘Arthur Pond, Doddington and the Patronage of the Delavals’, Art and the Country House, 2020, https://doi.org/10.17658/ACH/DNE509).
Full description
The central figure must surely be Rhoda Delaval, especially in light of comparison with Pond’s other portrait of her at Seaton Delaval, in which she wears the same dress, with flowers tucked into her bodice. In addition, the central figure seems to have a demeanor more appropriate to a seventeen-year-old than mother of twelve (if they had all been born by this time). Why, however, are the other children not shown here? We do not know the birth dates for Thomas (d.1787), Henry (d.1760), Robert (d.1759), George (d.1758), Ralph (d.1755), but if they had been born by the time this picture had been painted, it seems conceivable that there was also a portrait of the younger children, that was inherited by some other descendant, and that has either perished or remains to be discovered. In March 1749, however, Pond had already been paid for a portrait just of Rhoda and her three eldest brothers (now at Doddington; Louise Lippincott, ‘Arthur Pond’s Journal of Receipts and Expenses, 1734-1750’, The Fifty-Fourth Volume of the Walpole Society: 1988 [1991], p.304), so the bonds between those four were close enough not to require the presence of any other siblings. The present picture, which must have been painted a little after the last entry in the Journal (November 1750) adds the three remaining girls to this, but no boys – possibly because they were either not yet born, or not out of the nursery.
Provenance
Accepted in lieu of tax by H.M. Treasury and transferred to the National Trust in 2009
Credit line
Seaton Delaval, The Hastings Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
possibly Rhoda Delaval, Lady Astley (1725 - 1757), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Arthur Pond (London 1701 – Rome 1758), artist previously catalogued as after Joseph Highmore (London 1692 – Canterbury 1780), artist
References
Martin Postle, 'Arthur Pond, Doddington and the Patronage of the Delavals', Art and the Country House, 2020, https://doi.org/10.17658/ACH/DNE509