John Tillotson (1630-1694), Archbishop of Canterbury
studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1694 (circa)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
330 x 266 mm
Order this imageCollection
Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
NT 207886
Caption
This is a monochrome reduction of Kneller’s life-size three-quarter-length, which may be that at Eastnor Castle. It would appear to have been painted specifically for the engraver, Robert White, to work from. Who painted it is more of a conundrum. There is no known instance of Kneller painting a reduction of this sort, so it was presumably someone in his studio. The painting is of good quality, but we do not know of any assistant of Kneller’s undertaking an autonomous picture of this sort. The sitter was a leading advocate of moderation and toleration. He was also the cleric chosen by William III to become Archbishop of Canterbury in 1691. His portrait was thus a natural choice for the great but Whiggish collection of portraits formed by the 1st and 2nd Earls of Hardwicke at Wimpole.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, John Tillotson (1630-1694) Archbishop of Canterbury, studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646/9 - London 1723), circa 1694. John Tillotson was a leading advocate of moderation and toleration. He was also the cleric chosen by William III to become Archbishop of Canterbury in 1691. His portrait was thus a natural choice for the great but Whiggish collection of portraits formed by the 1st and 2nd Earls of Hardwicke at Wimpole. Its size and the fact that it is monochrome suggests that it was the preparatory stage for one of the engravings of Kneller's life-size original of 1694 now at Eastnor Castle. Sold at Robinson and Fishers January 9th 1896. Restored to Wimpole in 1993.
Provenance
Possibly in the collection of John, Lord Somers (1651-1716); possibly in the collection of Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke (1690-1764); thence by descent to Charles, 5th Earl of Hardwicke (1836-1897); sold by Thomas, 2nd Baron Robartes & later 6th Viscount Clifden (1844-1930) at Robinson & Fisher's, London, 9 January 1896, lot 115; purchased by the National Trust in 1993.
Credit line
Wimpole Hall, The Bambridge Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
In black, on the back of the unlined and primed canvas: His Grace the Archbishop / of Canterbury / done by Sr Godfrey Kneller
Makers and roles
studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723), artist previously catalogued as after Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723), artist