King William III (1650-1702)
after Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1690 - circa 1700
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1270 x 1016 mm (50 x 40 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Dyrham, Gloucestershire
NT 453781
Caption
This portrait of King William III in classicising armour was probably painted between 1690 and 1700. William sat to Godfrey Kneller for his full-length state portrait (in the Royal Collection) in 1690, after assuming the throne of England with Queen Mary. Kneller made studies of the King from life for the 1690 portrait, and used the same face-type when he painted a portrait of the King in armour. The pose of the King in armour, however, was taken from an earlier portrait by Kneller of King James II, who had been deposed by William. The prime version of this picture may be the portrait of William III in armour in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Another version is in the former collection of the Earls of Stamford at Dunham Massey (also National Trust).
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, King William III (1650-1702), after Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646/9-1723), circa 1690-1700. A three-quarter-length portrait, his body turned slightly to the right, his head to the left, looking out at the viewer. He wears armour and an all'antica costume, with a red cloak draped across his shoulders, fastened on his right shoulder by an antique cameo. His left hand is on his hip, and in his right he holds a baton. An open crown is on the plinth to the right.
Provenance
Indigenous collection purchased by Ministry of Works in 1956 and given to Dyrham Park in 1961
Credit line
Dyrham Park, The Blathwayt Collection (acquired by the Ministry of Works via the National Land Fund in 1956, and transferred to the National Trust)
Makers and roles
after Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723), artist previously catalogued as studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723), artist previously catalogued as after Willem Wissing (Amsterdam 1656 - Burghley House 1687), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Willem Wissing (Amsterdam 1656 - Burghley House 1687), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Sir Peter Lely (Soest 1618 – London 1680), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Sir Godfrey Kneller (Lübeck 1646 - London 1723), artist
References
Inventory and valuation of all the household furniture, linen, china, glass, books, pictures [...] the property of William Blathwayt Esqr. at his late residence Dyrham Park [...] March 1839. [March 1839]., [82] Saloon [Great Hall] Dyrham Park 1844 List of Valuable Pictures, Prints, &c at Dyrham House, Gloucestershire the Property of Geo: Wm. Blathwayt Esq. with nominal prices affixed to some for the purposes of Insurance only. [1844], fol.1, in the Saloon [Great Hall], no.18 Inventory [of] Household Furniture, China, Glass, Oil Paintings, Engravings, Books, Silver Plate [...] In the Mansion House at Dyrham Park Gloucestershire bequeathed as Heirlooms by the late Colonel George William Blathwayt who died May the 14th 1871, [88] in the Saloon [Great Hall] Dyrham Park 1937 An Inventory and Valuation of the contents of Dyrham Park, Gloucestershire, the property of the late R. W. Blathwayt, Esq., made for the purpose of Probate duty by, Puttick & Simpson [...] January 1st 1937, [92] in the Saloon [Great Hall] Stewart 1983 J. Douglas Stewart, Sir Godfrey Kneller, Oxford, 1983, no.844, p.140 Ingamells, 2009: John Ingamells, Later Stuart Portraits 1685-1714, National Portrait Gallery, London, 2009, p.333