18th Century English Portrait Painting of a Young Lady in a Blue Silk Gown, Attributed to Thomas Murray (1663-1735)

An early 18th century portrait of a young lady, half length, wearing a blue silk gown with white chemise and gold trimmed cloak draped across her arm and shoulders. Her sensitively observed soft expression and skilfully painted youthful dewy complexion are reminiscent of the portrait style of John Closterman whose work Murray would have been familiar with, being a close colleague of Murray's teacher, John Riley.

An old label on the reverse identifies the sitter as a young Princess Charlotte.

Oval oil on canvas, in a period giltwood and gesso frame.

Provenance:

According to a label on the reverse, J A Howard, given to a Clarissa for a silver wedding anniversary in 1941.

Cyril Stone, art dealer, Hove, 1984

Thomas Murray (1663–1735), was a portrait painter of Scottish origin and received his first lessons in art from one of the de Critz family. Subsequently he became a pupil of the eminent portrait painter John Riley, taking over his practice when Riley died in 1691. In 1703 he painted Queen Anne for the Society of the Middle Temple in London, showing her crowned and in royal robes. His many full-length oil paintings include a portrait of John, first duke of Atholl, in Garter robes, with Dunkeld House in the background (1705, Blair Castle collection). For this he charged the duke, possibly his kinsman, 30 guineas sterling. Other examples of his work are in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Society, and the Royal College of Physicians, London.

Murray's self-portrait (Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence) shows a handsome man, and he is reputed to have been hard-working and popular with his clients because of his courteous, diplomatic manner. When he died on 1 June 1735, he bequeathed his fortune to a nephew, requesting that a monument to him, complete with marble bust, be erected in Westminster Abbey, provided it was not too expensive. The nephew, sharing his uncle's views on money, had him buried at much less cost in St Paul's, Covent Garden, instead.

Literature:

Rosalind K. Marshall, 'Murray, Thomas (1663–1735), portrait painter'. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

Ellis Waterhouse, 'The Dictionary of British 18th century Painters', 1981.

Isherwood fine art