Sir Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG (1676-1745)
William Aikman (Cairnie 1682 - London 1731)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1700 - 1745
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
2375 x 1458 mm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
NT 355487
Caption
Thomas Coke was created 1st Baron Lovel in 1728, and subsequently Viscount Coke and Earl of Leicester in 1744. He was a great virtuoso, and whilst living in Italy from 1714 to 1718, he laid the foundation of his extensive collections of classical sculpture, Italian paintings, books and manuscripts. He also befriended William Kent, who designed his great mansion at Holkham. He proclaimed in 1730, “I have an estate sufficient for an earl or a viscount at least, and I shall expect to be made one of them” – although he had to wait some fourteen years for the honour.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Sir Robert Walpole KG (1676-1745) by William Aikman (Forfar 1682 – London 1731). A full-length portrait, standing, wearing brown knee-length coat, brown hose with garter below left knee. Full-bottomed grey wig. Black shoes with buckle. Lace cravat; long gold-braided navy-blue velvet robe. Order of the Garter sash across chest. Left hand in glove, resting on hip and holding other glove. Right hand resting on table, next to a red cushion. Table covered in blue velvet. Sky and landscape top right. Prime Minister and builder of Houghton Hall, Norfolk wearing the Chancellor of the Exchequer's robes.
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), artist previously catalogued as school of Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723), artist