Titan Fine Art has dated this piece to the 17th Century.
Studio of Sir Peter Lely (1618 – 1680)
This work formed part of a collection of family pictures and heirlooms of the Perceval Baronets (later Earl’s of Egmont) for almost 300 years, before it was dispersed along with 59 other family portraits by the 10th Earl of Egmont (1872-1932) of Avon Castle. The sitter in this magnificent portrait descended from one of the best and most ancient families in England; she was said to be “One of the most amiable and excellent woman that any age ever produced, and of an extraction very ancient and honourable”.
This elegant portrait of Lady Catherine Perceval nee Southwell (Norfolk 1637 - Dublin 1679) portrays her standing half-length in classical costume, placed in a capriccio landscape with a fountain. It was a popular pose that Lely used throughout the 1660’s, and one which would have been chosen from a selection by the sitter, and represents a conventional gendered celebration of marriage. The motif of the elaborate sculpted fountain and scallop-edged bowl may make an appropriate allusion to Catherine’s potential as wife and mother, recalling Proverbs, chapter 5, verse 18: “Let thye fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of thye youth”. Mary, Countess of Orrery (1648-1710), a friend of Lady Perceval, chose her portrait to be painted by Lely using the same pattern (two of which are in existence). Our portrait, likely painted with the assistance of the artist’s studio, with its sense of scale and rich colour, its exquisite draperies, dramatic lighting, and romantic landscape, is typical of the artist. It is no surprise that for years Lely had no serious rivals, was enormously influential and successful, and one of the country’s most important painters.
Lady Perceval was born on 1 September 1637 in Kinsale, Cork. Her father, Sir Robert Southwell (1607-1677) of Kinsale was 30 and her mother Helena Gore (1610-1679) was 37. The Southwell family traces its routes to John Southwell of Felix Hall, Essex, who was a Member of Parliament in 1450. The Southwell family later purchased the late Tudor mansion of Kings Weston, Gloucestershire in 1679. A number of family portraits still exist there, including a portrait of our sitter, who is wearing mourning attire.
Lady Perceval married Sir John Perceval, 1st Baronet of Kanturk (1629-1665) on 14th February 1655 in Dublin. The ancient Anglo-Normandy Percevals were immensely wealthy Irish and English landowners; Sir John Perceval (1629-1665) was a member of Parliament for the County of Cork. Before 1641 the Perceval estates in Ireland alone exceeded 99,000 acres or more than 150 square miles but after the Great Rebellion a large amount of estates were ruined. However, Sir John regained most of them and in 1661, after the restoration of the monarchy, he was created Baronet Perceval of Kanturk and was sworn in as a member of the Privy Councillor to King Charles II. The Perceval’s were great patrons of the arts and it is likely that our portrait was painted during this signifcant year for Sir John. An inventory taken in 1665 by Sir Philip (1656-1680) 2nd Baronet, states that there were “2 half pieces of my mother” at Burton.
This branch of the Perceval family traces its lineage to David Perceval, Lord of Tykenham, Rolleston, Sydenham, Moreland, Weley, and Wolmerton in Somerset, in the 16th century. His grandson was Sir Richard Percivale (1550–1620), agent of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley. Sir Richard deciphered, translated, and transcribed coded letters that gave Queen Elizabeth I the first certain intelligence of the Spanish Armada (much of Europe was suspicious of the Spanish and becaus
Titan Fine Art has dated this piece to the 17th Century.
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Portrait of Catherine, Lady Perceval (1637-1679) C.1661; Studio of Sir Peter Lely (1618 – 1680)
