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Sir Godfrey Kneller
3rd Countess of Dysart, Grace Wilbraham

circa 1696-1698

$23,049.37
£16,750
€19,937.06
CA$32,155.02
A$32,620.11
CHF 18,624.35
MX$394,978.62
NOK 219,254.14
SEK 218,526.47
DKK 149,083.33

About the Item

Sir Godfrey Kneller 1646-1723, was a German born British portrait painter. He was, apparently according to one of our sources, born in Leiden and studied under Bol and Rembrandt, before travelling to Rome, Venice, Hamburg and later England, where he was appointed 'Painter in Ordinary' to King Charles II. Kneller produced portraits on an almost industrial scale building a large workshop of pupil artists, he would sketch and paint the main features head and hands, as here, and leave the balance to his pupils, hair clothing and background. Whilst in England he produced something in the region of 900 portraits in a time frame of around 50 years or less. The sitter in this portrait is Grace Wilbraham who was promoted to Lady Dysart upon he marriage when her husband was entitled to the role of 3rd Earl of Dysart, he was Lionel Tollemache and well known to be particularly frugal with his expenses having incurred debt from his father's estate. Consequently Kneller's portraits were graded in cost relating the amount of exposure the sitter agreed to, the lower price of the sitting would relate to the minimal work engaged and therefore a full length portrait would generate the highest income and a head and shoulders without hands would have been the least expensive. Lionel Tollemache was true to his financial beliefs as shown here. This portrait originated from Helmingham Hall and was discovered within close proximity of the Hall in Suffolk. The painting has been conserved in the most professional, thorough and detailed manner, and I have enclosed the restoration pictures of the before and after for your information. I have included an additional biography of the painter. Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723) was the leading portrait painter in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He served as the principal painter to every British monarch from Charles II to George I. He was born in Lübeck, Germany, Kneller studied under Ferdinand Bol (a pupil of Rembrandt) in Amsterdam and later moved to Italy. He settled in London in 1676, where his speed and ability to capture a likeness quickly made him the most sought-after artist in the country. Kneller was appointed Principal Painter in Ordinary to William and Mary in 1688. He established a large workshop "factory" to handle hundreds of commissions, with a famous series of portraits of the most glamorous ladies of the court. A series of 48 portraits of influential Whig politicians and writers. Kneller was the first artist in England to be made a Baronet (by George I). He founded the first private art academy in London in 1711, significantly influencing the development of British art. While critics sometimes noted his work became formulaic due to his high volume of output, his influence on the "Grand Manner" of portraiture lasted for generations. He is the only painter to have a memorial in Westminster Abbey. I have included a short biography of the sitter, Grace Wilbraham below for your interest. Grace Wilbraham, 3rd Countess of Dysart (1656–1740) was an English noblewoman who became part of the prominent Tollemache dynasty through her marriage. Born into wealth as a co-heiress to extensive estates in Cheshire and Staffordshire, she helped consolidate the fortunes of the Earls of Dysart during the late Stuart and early Georgian eras. She was born on March 28, 1656, in Weston-under-Lizard, Staffordshire.Parents: She was the daughter of Sir Thomas Wilbraham, 3rd Baronet of Woodhey, Cheshire, and Elizabeth Mytton. As one of Sir Thomas’s daughters, she stood as a wealthy co-heiress, bringing significant property advantages to her future family lines. Around November 1, 1680, she married Lionel Tollemache, 3rd Earl of Dysart. Her husband was a British Tory politician noted historically for being highly frugal with his expenses due to inherited family debts. She became the Countess of Dysart in 1698 when her husband officially succeeded his mother, the famous Elizabeth Murray, Duchess of Lauderdale, to the earldom. The couple had five children, though their legacy faced a direct tragedy when their eldest son predeceased them. Lionel Tollemache, Lord Huntingtower (1682–1712), who died young. His son eventually succeeded as the 4th Earl. Lady Elizabeth Tollemache, who married Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton. Lady Catherine Tollemache, who married John Brydges, Marquess of Carnarvon. Lady Mary Tollemache. Lady Grace Tollemache. She died on April 26, 1740, at the age of 84. She was laid to rest at the Church of St Mary in Helmingham, Suffolk, the ancestral seat of the Tollemache family. She is immortalized in several period artworks. Most notably, a portrait by John Michael Wright depicts her as a young woman in a pink silk dress holding a sprig of myrtle, a traditional symbol of betrothal. Other portraits of her reside today in heritage and private collections as is this painting.
  • Creator:
    Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646 - 1723, British)
  • Creation Year:
    circa 1696-1698
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 29.25 in (74.3 cm)Width: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Douglas, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: No. 1791stDibs: LU2373215612922

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