Three d'Hervart Children, as the Infant Bacchus and Attendants, with a Goat
Barthélemy Guillebaud (1687 - 1741)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1736 (signed and dated on reverse)
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1030 x 1250 mm
Place of origin
Switzerland
Order this imageCollection
Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire
NT 960081
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Three d'Hervart Children with a Goat by Barthélemy Guillibaud (Geneva 1687 -d. before 1742), signed and dated, lower right, on reverse: 'B.Guilliaud pinxit Anno 1736'. An allegory probably depicting the corruption of innocence. Part of the inheritance of Sabine d'Hervat. The central figure is a putta (and so is the one on the right-hand side)- possibly an allegorical painting of the d'Hervart children, including Sabine? And indeed, it turns out that the Gentleman's Magazine was inaccurate in saying that she was 'in her 60th year' when she died in 1798, since a document found in the archives by Sophie Raikes indicates that she was baptised in 1734. She is also described as 'only child' in the d'Hervart tree - but she could easily have had siblings who died young. Guillibaud was certainly primarily a portrait-painter, and the children's features have a portrait-like ugliness.
Provenance
Part of the inheritance of Sabine d'Hervart; brought to Nostell Priory with the goods transported from Switzerland in about 1781, after the death of her mother; thence by descent to the 6th Lord St Oswald (found in the attics of Nostell Priory), by whom put up for sale; purchased by National Trust at Christie's, South Kensington 15 December 2000, lot 184.
Credit line
Nostell Priory, The St Oswald Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
Barthélemy Guillebaud (1687 - 1741) , artist