The Hon. Matthew Fortescue (1754-1842)
British (English) School
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1795
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
906 x 706 mm (35.67 x 27.80 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Killerton, Devon
NT 922267
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Hon. Matthew Fortescue (1754-1842), British (English) School, cica 1795. Formerly attributed to George Sanders (1774-1846). A half-length portrait of Matthew Fortescue as a young man, three-quarter profile, head turned and gazing slightly to the right, his left arm resting on a ledge, longish brown hair, wearing brown/dull gold satin 'Vandyke' coat with lace collar and cuffs and a pink cloak resting on his shoulders. He was the second son of Matthew Fortescue, 2nd Baron Fortescue (1719-1785) of Castle Hill, and Anne Campbell, daughter of John Campbell of Cawdor Castle and Stackpole (Stacpoole) Court, and younger brother of Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl Fortescue (1753-1841). He married in 1778, Henrietta Archer, daughter of Colonel Archer, by whom he had two sons. After her death he married in 1795 Henrietta Anne Hoare, daughter of Sir Richard Hoare, 1st Bt, and widow of Sir Thomas Acland, 9th Bt (1752-1794), and had by her one further son. She predeceased him by one year.
Provenance
Hung at Holnicote House until 1978, when the portrait lent to Killerton; acquired by the National Trust acceptance in lieu in 1995, as attributed to George Sanders. Sir Richard Acland lent this portrait and the portrait of his wife, Henrietta Fortescue to the Holiday Fellowship before Killerton opened to the public.
Credit line
Killerton, The Acland Collection (accepted in lieu by HM Government and transferred to The National Trust in 1995)
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribee label:: Inscribed: ENGLISH, c.1795
Makers and roles
British (English) School, artist previously catalogued as attributed to George Sanders (Kinghorn, Fife 1774 - London 1846), artist
References
Killerton House, Devon, 1986-1988 [The National Trust, Ann Acland] 1983, revised 1986 reprinted 1988, p.36-37: The Music Room Paintings and Furniture ...fireplace...Those on the right and left show his mother Henrietta Hoare, and his step-father, Matthew Fortescue whose strict views greatly influenced his childhood." Killerton House, Devon, 1991 [The National Trust, Ann Acland] 1983, revised 1991, p.36-37: The Music Room Paintings and Furniture ...fireplace...Those on the right and left show his mother Henrietta Hoare, and his step-father, Matthew Fortescue whose strict views greatly influenced his childhood." Killerton House, Devon, 2000 [The National Trust] 2000, p.11 "THE MUSIC ROOM PICTURES LEFT OF FIREPLACE The Great Sir Thomas's step-father, Matthew Fortescue (1754-1842), whose strick views greatly influenced his childhood."