Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1700s.
..the land of innocence and purity; a very fashionable conceit at the time. The implement shown was used by shepherds to scoop up and hurl stones in defence of their flock.
The rather amusingly depicted sheep wander on a hillside whilst Jonathan's dog looks adoringly up at him.
The Kings were a West Country yeoman family of modest means; as Colonel Edwin King says in his book "Records of the Family of King" such families were the very backbone of England.
NOTE...This book accompanies Jonathan's portrait which is depicted therein (see images 6 and 7)
Jonathan's father was Ensign Thomas King of Lord Lovelace's Regiment of Foot, he was born in 1693, appointed an ensign in 1708, aged 15 or 16, and died in 1752. Thomas's wife was Fruzan King, nee Constable, who died in 1748.
During the Wars of the Spanish Succession Lovelace's Foot took part in the campaigns in the Spanish Peninsula.
The Regiment was disbanded in 1712 on the outbreak of peace and the officers put on half-pay. At this time Thomas married Fruzan Constable and their eldest son Jonathan was born.
Thomas served in a number of other regiments reaching the rank of lieutenant but never had the money to purchase a captaincy, this being the then way of advancing in rank.
Thomas retired in 1740 and returned to Leigh-upon-Mendip, Somerset where also lived his son Jonathan, now married. On Christmas Day of that year Jonathan's son was baptised. Sadly Jonathan King died shortly after and was buried at Leigh on 25 January 1741. To the great sadness of his wife Anna their baby son also died a few days later.
SIZE: 49.5 x 39.75 inches inc. frame.
PROVENANCE: by descent in the family.
Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1700s.
Roy and nadine precious: specialists in portraiture from the 16th to the 20th century. Established in 1972.
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Sold....portrait of Jonathan King C.1720; English School.
