Dr Herbert Croft (1603-1691), Bishop of Hereford
British (English) School
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1670
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
711 x 582 mm (28 x 23 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Croft Castle, Herefordshire
NT 537585
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Herbert Croft (1603-1691) Bishop of Hereford, British (English) School, circa 1670. A half-length portrait of a mature man, seated, turned slightly to the left, gazing at the spectator, grey shoulder-length curly hair, grey moustache and small beard, holding a book in his right hand his thumb inserted in the book, his left hand resting on a table on which lies a sheet of paper. Wearing a mortar-board, and a rochet under a chimere. Signed. The sheet of paper, has the inscription: These / For the Right Reverend / Father in God Herbert / Bishop of Hereford / Present[s]. The fingers of the left hand resting on a ledge, as well as the document, may be later additions (or repainted?). Inscribed on gilt tablet: P. Gent fl. c.1680 / HERBERT CROFT, BISHOP OF HEREFORD / 1603–1691.
Provenance
Possibly by descent from Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the Bishop’s only son, Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Bt, and wife of Acton Moseley, of The Mere and Buildwas Abbey (if Ingamells is right in saying that the picture in the Bishop’s House, Hereford, which was presented by Major Moseley, is a copy of this one, since there it is said to be a copy of a portrait that was at Buildwas Abbey); from the estate of Sir James Croft, 11th Bt; loaned to The National Trust by Michael Henry Glendower Page Croft, 2nd Baron (1916-1997) before 1993; accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax from the estate of Michael Henry Glendower Page Croft and allocated to The National Trust for display at Croft Castle in 2004.
Makers and roles
British (English) School, artist previously catalogued as attributed to P. Gent, artist