Charles Fitzroy, Duke of Southampton and Cleveland (1662-1730)
attributed to William Faithorne, The Elder (London c.1616 - London 1691)
Category
Art / Miniatures
Date
Unknown
Materials
Gouache
Measurements
100 x 73 mm (frame); 84 x 58 mm (image)
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 515789
Summary
Portrait miniature, watercolour on ivory, Charles Fitzroy, Duke of Southampton and Cleveland (1662-1730) attributed to William Faithorne the elder (c.1616-1691). Upright oblong. Son of King Charles II and the Countess of Castlemaine and Duchess of Cleveland, married (i) Mary Wood (1664-1680) and (ii) Anne Poultney (1663-1745). Young boy, three-quarter-length, turned three-quarters to the right, gazing at spectator, his right hand on his hip, index finger raised, a black hat tucked under the left arm, his left hand tucked into his waistcoat. He is wearing white shirt, with a blue velvet coat with silver buttons, deep silver cuffs also with silver buttons, and an embroidered silver waistcoat with silver buttons. Blue eyes, long black shoulder-length hair, pale complexion. Pastoral setting, cloudy sky and Windsor Castle with a flag flying, in the distance, in the right background, a tree occupying the left background, and shrubs in the foreground on the right.
Provenance
Believed to have come from the Royal Collection. There is no record in the Royal Archives of the sale by George IV which may have taken place during the last years of the Regency, shortly before the death of George III in 1820. However, George IV was extremely reluctant to part with his miniatures, especially family ones, and it is possible that they slipped out of the Royal Collection unobtrusively. This miniature formed part of a collection of miniatures which was sold at Sotheby’s on 9th May 1928 as lots 135-62, which included a cabinet covered in crimson leather, the property of Mrs Tatton of Winwall Hall, Whitchurch, Hampshire. It was described as ‘A Collection of Twenty-eight fine Miniatures acquired from a lady, a lineal descendant of Paul Storr, of Storr and Mortimer, Old Bond Street, London, Court Jewellers to George III, and said to have been formerly the property of KING GEORGE IV.’ The collection was bought by Robson & Co for £600 for Lord Fairhaven and his brother for Anglesey Abbey. The collection was put up for sale again at Sotheby’s on 25 June 1936 as lot 32/8 and bought by Leggatt. Unfortunately Leggatt’s records for that date were destroyed by enemy action but presumably the collection was bought in again and returned to Anglesey Abbey. Bequeathed to the National Trust by Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) with the house and all its contents.
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed across the top edge: Duke of Cleveland / son of King Charles 2nd Inscribed on paper stuck to back of miniature: Duke of Cleveland / Windsor / son of King Charles II Small circular paper label stuck to back at bottom of paper stuck to back of miniature[possibly Sotheby’s sale label] : 8
Makers and roles
attributed to William Faithorne, The Elder (London c.1616 - London 1691), artist
References
Bunt 1949 Cyril G. E. Bunt, Windsor Castle through Three Centuries, 1949, pp.28, 72, no.97, plate 32: To this period of Charles II belongs the very fine miniature portrait illustrated on plate 32. It is a portrait of Charles Fitzroy (1662-1730), son of Charles II and the famous Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland. He bore the title of Lord Limerick until 1670 and Earl of Southampton. But on the death of his mother, in 1709, he became Duke of Cleveland. The picture was evidently painted at Windsor, for we may see in the background a view of the Castle. In this connection it may be recalled that he was installed a Knight of the Garter in 1673, when he was eleven years old. Since the subject of the miniature is still obviously quite a boy, it is not improbable that this ma have been the occasion and reason for the painting of this splendid little work. It has been attributed to William Faithorne the Elder (1616-1691), of whose miniatures very few are known. Whether the ascription is correct or not it is a very fine specimen.” “Part II MINIATURES 97 FAITHORNE, WILLIAM (Attributed to) (1616-1691) Charles Fitzroy, afterwards Duke of Cleveland. Son of Charles II On ivory, 3 ½ x 2 ⅜ in. Three-quarter length facing right. A view of Windsor Castle in background to right. (see plate 32).”