Lot 20
19TH CENTURY ENGLISH SCHOOL, MINIATURE PORTRAIT
GEORGE DIGBY, 2ND EARL OF BRISTOL (1612-77)
Five Centuries: Furniture, Paintings & Works of Art | 689
Auction: Five Centuries: Furniture, Paintings & Works of Art
Description
rectangular, oil on copper, the sitter wearing cuirassier armour and white lawn collar, in a stained wood frame
Dimensions
Portrait 9cm high, 7cm wide; 13.2cm high, 11.4cm wide overall
Provenance
Provenance:
Bonhams, lot 318, 10th April 2002
Footnote
NOTE: This miniature portrait is based on a 17th century three-quarter length portrait of Digby, one version in the collection of Royal Armouries, the other at Sherborne Castle. In that portrait Digby is depicted wearing Franco-Flemish cuirassier armour with his right arm raised holding a baton of command and gesturing towards a battle scene in the background. His left hand rests on his helm and the sash and jewel of the Order of the Garter are clearly visible. At present the artist of the original portrait has not been identified, although there is some research to indicate the 17th century portraitist John Michael Wright as a likely candidate.
George was the son of John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol. Firstly a member of the parliamentary opposition to Charles I, he later fought for the king in the English civil war. Afterward he served Louis XIV of France. In 1660, on his return to England after the Restoration, he was ineligible for office because of his conversion to Roman Catholicism. Having served Charles II in exile as Secretary of State, he exerted some influence at court until his attempt to impeach the Earl of Clarendon for treason failed in 1663.