The Five Eldest Children of King Charles I
after Sir Anthony Van Dyck (Antwerp 1599 - London 1641)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1637 (after)
Materials
oil on canvas
Measurements
597 x 736 mm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Lacock, Wiltshire
NT 996328
Caption
This is a copy of the original in the Royal Collection, signed and dated 1637. It is a charming and very popular image of the royal children. There are many copies of this composition and of the earlier, smaller one with only three children, which can be found throughout many country house collections. Its appeal extended beyond supporters of the Stuarts.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Five Eldest Children of King Charles I, after Sir Anthony Van Dyck (Antwerp 1599 - London 1641). A copy of the original group portrait of the five eldest children of Charles I and Henrietta Maria by Sir Anthony van Dyck, signed and dated 1637, in the Royal Collection. In the centre, dressed in red with a white lace collar, is Charles, Prince of Wales, later Charles II (1630-1685). He rests his left arm on the head of a large Lyme mastiff dog to his side. On the far left of the composition, wearing a white satin dress and pearl necklace, is Mary, Princess Royal (1631-1660). Between her and the Prince of Wales stands James, Duke of York, later James II (1633-1701), dressed in white and red garments. To the right of the composition, wearing a blue dress trimmed with white lace, is Princess Elizabeth (1635-1650), cradling the baby Princess Anne (1637-1640). A King Charles spaniel looks up at them on the right, and behind them a gold jug and dish of fruit are displayed on a table. A curtain is drawn in the background to reveal a landscape beyond.
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)
Makers and roles
after Sir Anthony Van Dyck (Antwerp 1599 - London 1641), artist
References
Barnes, De Poorter, Millar, Vey, 2004 Susan J. Barnes, Nora De Poorter, Oliver Millar and Horst Vey, Van Dyck. A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings, New Haven and London, 2004, pp.479-480, cat IV.62 (the original in the Royal Collection)