Sir John Talbot (1630-1714), MP
Sir Peter Lely (Soest 1618 – London 1680)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1660 - 1714
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1270 x 1016 mm (50 x 40 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Lacock, Wiltshire
NT 996295
Caption
The swashbuckling John Talbot acted as a second in a duel with his friend’s wife’s lover, George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham. His companion, Francis, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury, was “run through the body from the right breast through the shoulder” whilst he was wounded “all along up one of his arms …” John Talbot is also said to have been the first person to receive Charles II upon his landing in England. He died in 1714, when he was succeeded by his grandson, John Ivory Talbot (?1691 – 1772). He has a monument in the church at Lacock. The painting looks like an 18th century copy, worked up from an oval version, also at Lacock.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Sir John Talbot, MP (1630-1714), Sir Peter Lely (Soest 1618 – London 1680) and studio; three-quarter length to left in armour, his right hand on his helmet on a table, his left on his hip, Landscape left background. Inscribed: lower-right: Sir John Talbot / son of Sherington Talbot / of Laycock & Salwarpe. Son of Sharington Talbot (d.1677) and Jane Lyttelton; married firstly Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Keyt, and secondly Barbara, daughter of Sir Henry Slingsby. He is said to have been the first person to receive King Charles II upon his landing in England at the Restoration (see J. Britton, The Beauties of Wiltshire: displayed in statistical, historical, and descriptive sketches, London, 1825, vol. III, p.236). In 1668 he acted as a second to his Talbot cousin, Francis, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury (c.1623 – 1668), when he fought a duel with George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, his wife’s lover. Buckingham died from his wounds on 16th March. The event was described by Samuel Pepys: “My Lord Shrewsbury is run through the body from the right breast through the shoulder, and Sir Jo. Talbot all along up one of his arms and Jenkins [Buckingham’s second] killed upon the place, and the rest all in a little measure wounded ….”. He died in 1714, when he was succeeded by his grandson, John Ivory Talbot (?1691 – 1772). He has a monument in the church at Lacock.
Provenance
Given by Matilda Theresa Talbot (formerly Gilchrist-Clark) (1871 – 1958), who gave the Abbey, the village of Lacock and the rest of the estate to the National Trust in 1944, along with 96 of the family portraits and other pictures, in 1948
Credit line
Lacock Abbey, The Talbot Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
Lower right: Sir John Talbot / son of Sherington Talbot / of Laycock & Salwarpe
Makers and roles
Sir Peter Lely (Soest 1618 – London 1680), artist manner of Sir Peter Lely (Soest 1618 – London 1680), artist