Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 17th Century.
The young aristocrat wears faux Roman clothing for his portrait, this was a fashionable conceit of the time, and was known as 'elevating the sitter', it was thought to give the portrait a Classical, timeless look.
JAMES CECIL, 5th Earl of Salisbury was born on 8 June 169, he was the son of James Cecil, 4th Earl of Salisbury and Frances Bennett.
He married Lady Anne Tufton, daughter of Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet and Lady Catherine Cavendish, on 12 February 1708/9.
Succeeded to the title of 5th Earl of Salisbury [E., 1605] on 24 October 1694. Previously he had held the titles of 5th Baron Cecil of Essendon, Rutland and of 5th Viscount Cranborne, co. Dorset.
He graduated from Christ Church, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, in 1707 with a Master of Arts degree. He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire between 1712 and 1714. Died on 9 October 1728 at age 37.
Children of James Cecil, 5th Earl of Salisbury and Lady Anne Tufton:-
Lady Anne Cecil d. 3 Jul 1752
James Cecil, 6th Earl of Salisbury b. 20 Oct 1713, d. 19 Sep 1780
Lady Catherine Cecil b. 15 Aug 1719, d. 16 Aug 1752.
SIR GODFREY KNELLER (1646-1723) studied under Ferdinand Bol, and perhaps Rembrandt himself in the 1660s. He was in Rome and Venice between 1672 and 1675, settling in England in 1676 for life. He was soon employed at Court and became the most successful portraitist of the generation following Lely. He enjoyed the office of Principal Painter, at first jointly with John Riley (d.1691), from shortly after the accession of William and Mary in 1688 until his death. He was knighted in 1692 and became a baronet in 1715.
His work fully expresses the spirit of the English Baroque, and includes penetrating studies of many of the leading figures of Whig Society such as the famous Kit-Kat portraits now in the National Portrait Gallery (Beningborough Hall, Yorkshire), which include the likenesses of Sir John Vanbrugh, Charles 3rd Earl of Carlisle, and others.
SIZE: 38 x 33 inches inc. frame.
PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Northwest Yorkshire.
VERSO: an old label wrongly identifying the sitter as Lord Cecil Burghley.
Our thanks to the art historian Adam Busiakiewicz.
Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 17th Century.
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Portrait of James Cecil, 5th Earl of Salisbury, 1695; Studio of Kneller.
