Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the Before 1700 period.
Almost certainly painted to celebrate the betrothal of the sitters prior to their marriage in 1651.
Of Huguenot stock, THOMAS PAPILLON (1623-1702) was born at Roehampton House, Putney, on 6 September 1623, son of David Papillon, architect and military engineer, and his second wife Anne Marie Calendrine. He was one of seven children, and educated at Drayton School, Northants.
In February 1648 he was imprisoned in Newgate by order of the House of Commons because of his Royalist sympathies.
For the next twenty years he concentrated on his mercantile activities having married Jane Brodnax, member of an ancient Kentish family of minor gentry status, in 1651 in Canterbury Cathedral. in 1666, as he prospered, he bought an estate, Acrise Place in Kent.
His rise in the following years was dramatic...Master of the Mercer's company, Deputy Governor of Eastland Co., councilman, alderman, Freeman of Dover, Commissioner for Assessment Kent, Dover and London, Bridgemaster for London, Deputy Lieutenant for London and Kent, Director of the East India Company, Commissioner for Trade....he was also Member of Parliament for Dover from 1674 to 1685 when he was an active in the Cavalier Parliament, serving on 65 committees and making about 20 speeches.
He was prominent in the indictment of Lord Shaftesbury and as a Whig he caused the Lord Mayor of London and all the Tory alderman to be arrested to answer a writ for falsification of return.
However, he was sued for false and malicious arrest by the Mayor and was ordered to pay the enormous fine of £10,000 in damges. In 1685 he fled to France, where he remained in voluntary exile until the accession of William III in 1689.
On his return he continued his brilliant career being re-elected for Dover then for London.
He was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Court Artist, in 1698. (Portrait now in the National Portrait Gallery).
He died on 5 May 1702 aged 79 and buried at Acrise, Kent with his wife.
His book 'Memoirs of Thomas Papillon, of London, Merchant (1623-1702)' is still available.
JANE BRODNAX (also Broadnax) 1627 - 1698, was the daughter of Thomas Brodnax of Godmersham, Kent and Jane James, and was christened at Ightam, Kent. She was the great-grand-daughter of Jean Desmaistres, of whom her husband was great-grandson on his mother's side.
Initially both sets of parents objected to the marriage.
Jane bore Thomas eight children and died aged 72 and was buried in Acrise, Kent.
Her epitaph reads: "A truly pious Christian; A sensible Woman; A devoted and loving Wife; An affectionate Mother; A kind and considerate Friend".
ROBERT WALKER (1599–1658) was an English portrait painter, notable for his portraits of the "Lord Protector" Oliver Cromwell and other distinguished parliamentarians of the period. He was influenced by Van Dyck, and many of his paintings can now be found at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
SIZE: (Thomas) 35.75 x 29.5 inches inc. frame.
(Jane) 34.75 x 29 inches inc. frame.
PROVENANCE: English Private Collection.
Verso: old labels 'Hampton and Sons, 8 Pall Mall East, London.'
Old label with information on the the Papillon, Ward, Hunt and Ward-Hunt families.
Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the Before 1700 period.
Roy and nadine precious: specialists in portraiture from the 16th to the 20th century. Established in 1972.
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Sold....pair of Portraits of Thomas Papillon and Jane Brodnax C.1650; Attributed to Robert Walker
