Description
And a companion, a portrait of Princess Maria Casimire Clementina Sobieska. Both half-length, he in armour, wearing the Order of the Garter and the Thistle, with a gorgoneion at his neck; she in a silver dress and an ermine-lined cape, oil on canvas
Dimensions
69cm x 56cm (27in x 22in), a pair (2)
Footnote
Provenance:
by family tradition the gift of King James and Maria Sobieska
Judge James Graham of Airth, by direct descent to
Helen Graham of Airth
by descent, sold Property of a Gentleman
Note: Martin Van Meytens was commissioned to paint the original pair of portraits by James in 1725. They were produced in Rome upon the birth Henry and were designed as mutual gifts to be hung in each other's private rooms. Van Meytens then moved to Vienna and became the official court painter. The two originals were considered among the most successful likenesses of the pair. It is not known whether the originals survive but in 1727 James commissioned an artist called E. Gill - an Englishman who was in Rome for a time - to produce ten copies which were then gifted to Jacobite supporters. One pair of Gill's copies are housed in the National Gallery of Scotland. It is not known how many of Gill's copies still exist but the quality and age of this pair are very close to the known examples. The image that Van Meytens produced of Maria Clementina became her "official" portrait and is the most recognised image of her, being copied on countless occasions.