Called Sir William Cordell Kt (1522-1581)
British (English) School
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1620 - circa 1625
Materials
Oil on panel
Measurements
1136 x 840 mm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Melford Hall, Suffolk
NT 926808
Caption
This portrait, thought to be of Sir William Cordell, shows him holding a document, possibly the charter from Queen Mary which granted him Melford Hall in the mid 1500's. The inscription at the top left reads 'Sir William Cordell; Knight of the Shire for the County of Suffolk; Speaker of the House of Commons; 4 5 Phillip and Mary 1557; and Master of the Rolls to the said Queen and Queen Elizabeth'. This likeness of him bears little resemblance to another portrait of William Cordell in the collection at St Johns College, Oxford; so it is possible that the portrait at Melford is not actually of William Cordell, and that the inscription was added at a later date.
Summary
Oil painting on panel, Called Sir William Cordell Kt (1522-1581), British (English) School, circa 1620-1625. A three-quarter-length portrait in black and red coat, laced ruffle and cuffs, and holding manuscript in his right hand. Inscribed top left 'Sir William Cordell; Knight of the Shire for the County of Suffolk. Speaker of the House of Commons, 4 and 5 Phillip and Mary 1557 and Master of the Rolls to the said Queen and Queen Elizabeth'.
Provenance
Part of the Hyde Parker collection, transferred from HM Treasury, 1966
Marks and inscriptions
'Sir William Cordell; Knight of the Shire for the County of Suffolk. Speaker of the House of Commons, 4 and 5 Phillip and Mary 1557 and Master of the Rolls to the said Queen and Queen Elizabeth'
Makers and roles
British (English) School, artist previously catalogued as attributed to Cornelis de Zeeu (fl.1558-1590), artist