Trajan Hughes Signed and Dated 1713 - Oil on Canvas Portrait of Sir Thomas Wentworth Earl of Strafford and Sir Philip Mainwaring.

Sir Thomas Wentworth Earl of Strafford and Sir Philip Mainwaring by Trajan Hughes after Sir Anthony van Dyck

This monumental and richly coloured early 18th century double portrait depicts Sir Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford receiving his death warrant from Sir Philip Mainwairing. This moment signals the start of the English Civil War and for the next 18 years Britain was at war or was without a sovereign.

This fine work is a version of the double portrait formerly at Wentworth Woodhouse. Van Dyck’s composition was based on Titian’s double portrait of ‘Georges d’Armagnac, Bishop of Rodez, with his Secretary Guillaume Philandrier’, now at Alnwick Castle.

Trajan Hughes

Trajan Hughes is celebrated as one of the earliest animal painters in Britain, a contemporary of Francis Barlow, he painted similar subjects.as well as flowers and still lifes, Portrait by this artist are extremely rare and this signed work is one of the only recorded examples

Little is know the artist’s life or career. In the International Genealogical Index for Wales, in the forename index, there are only two entries for Trajan in all of Wales. Both are for a Trajan Hughes. One refers to a baptism that occurred circa 1693 in Anglesley County (in all likelihood for the son of the painter). The other records a death in 1743 at Plas Llan Arowan.

It is believed Hughes also worked in London. In the International Genealogical Index for London, there is a record of a marriage between Trajan Hughes and Elizabeth Churchman on June 18, 1691

Philip Mainwaring Mainwaring was the son of Sir Randle Mainwaring of Over Peover in Cheshire. He was Secretary of State to Thomas Wentworth (1593-1641) following the latter’s appointment as Lord Deputy General of Ireland.

Thomas Wentworth, 1st earl of Strafford, (born April 13, 1593, London, Eng.—died May 12, 1641, London.

Strafford was the son of Sir William Wentworth, of Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham. An English politician and leading adviser to Charles I. Although an outspoken member of the opposition, he switched his support to the crown when offered a barony in 1628. As lord president of the north (1628–33), he quelled defiance to the crown. As lord deputy of Ireland (1633–39), he consolidated the royal authority, extended English settlement, reformed the administration, and increased revenues for the crown. He was recalled to command Charles’s army against a Scottish revolt, but the costly war was opposed by the Long Parliament; as a target representing the king’s authority, he was impeached by the Parliament in 1640. Strafford was accused of subverting the laws (he had offered to bring over the Irish army to subdue the king’s opponents in England); when it looked as though he might be acquitted, John Pym, the leader of the House of Commons, had a bill of attainder passed that condemned Strafford to death. Strafford released the king from his promise of protection, and Charles gave his consent to the bill.

Strafford was subsequently beheaded in the presence of an immense and jubilant crowd.was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and was the most able minister of King Charles I. Charles was an unpopular king with a more unpopular French catholic wife (Henrietta Maria). Parliament decided that Strafford should be tried for treason. They had no evidence against him but the King was forced to sign the death warrant believing his wife was in danger.

Signed, inscribed and dated on the letter l.c.: T.Hughes 1713

Literature

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