Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend Family, by Charles Jervas.

Name: Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend Family, by Charles Jervas.
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA673238
Availability: SoldOut

18th century

Sold by Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art

Description

Oil on canvas in a fine carved and giltwood period frame.

This is a charming portrait of a boy indulging in the sport of archery, considered an appropriate pastime for a young aristocrat.

Over the years the name of the sitter and the artist had been forgotten; the portrait was described as 'English School, a boy as Cupid'. Once a picture hanging support was removed from the back an old handwritten label saying TOWNSHEND HEIRLOOMS was visible. There were two great sales of pictures from Raynham Hall, Norfolk, seat of the Marquess and Marchioness Townshend, the second was conducted by Sotheby's on the 14th June, 1911. Library Ireland, in 1913, mentions Charles Jervas, in a list of his 'principal paintings', as having created 'Boy with Bow and Arrows, standing in a Landscape', and it being sold in the Townshend Heirlooms sale of 1911.

There is little doubt that this is that painting by Jervas. The sitter is most probably a member of the Townshend family. Charles Townshend is the most likely. He became 3rd Viscount Townshend of Raynham and was born on 11 July 1700. He was the son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend of Raynham and Hon. Elizabeth Pelham. He married Audrey Ethelreda Harrison, daughter of Edward Harrison and Frances Bray, on 29 May 1723. He died on 12 March 1764.

CHARLES JERVAS (also Jarvis; c. 1675 – 2 November 1739) was an Irish portrait painter, translator, and art collector of the early 18th century. Born in County Offaly, Ireland around 1675, Jervas studied in London, England as an assistant under Sir Godfrey Kneller between 1694 and 1695.

Painting portraits of the city's intellectuals, among them such personal friends as Jonathan Swift and the poet Alexander Pope (both now in the National Portrait Gallery, London), Charles Jervas became a popular artist often referred to in the works of literary figures of the period.

With his growing reputation, Jervas succeeded Sir Godfrey Kneller as Principal Portrait Painter to King George I in 1723, and continued to live in London until his death in 1739.

SIZE: 35.5 x 32.25 x 2.75 inches including the frame.

PROVENANCE. Raynham Hall, Norfolk. Sold at Sotheby's 1911. Private collection, Derbyshire, for many years.

Physical Dimensions

Height

90.5cm (35.63")

Width

82cm (32.28")

Depth

7cm (2.76")

Declaration

Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art has dated this piece to the 18th Century.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA673238

Dealers Internal Reference

9162

Description

Oil on canvas in a fine carved and giltwood period frame.

“

This is a charming portrait of a boy indulging in the sport of archery, considered an appropriate pastime for a young aristocrat.

Roy Precious - Antiques & Fine Art

Over the years the name of the sitter and the artist had been forgotten; the portrait was described as 'English School, a boy as Cupid'. Once a picture hanging support was removed from the back an old handwritten label saying TOWNSHEND HEIRLOOMS was visible. There were two great sales of pictures from Raynham Hall, Norfolk, seat of the Marquess and Marchioness Townshend, the second was conducted by Sotheby's on the 14th June, 1911. Library Ireland, in 1913, mentions Charles Jervas, in a list of his 'principal paintings', as having created 'Boy with Bow and Arrows, standing in a Landscape', and it being sold in the Townshend Heirlooms sale of 1911.

fig 1. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend family, by Charles Jervas. — fig 1. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend Family, by Charles Jervas.

There is little doubt that this is that painting by Jervas. The sitter is most probably a member of the Townshend family. Charles Townshend is the most likely. He became 3rd Viscount Townshend of Raynham and was born on 11 July 1700. He was the son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend of Raynham and Hon. Elizabeth Pelham. He married Audrey Ethelreda Harrison, daughter of Edward Harrison and Frances Bray, on 29 May 1723. He died on 12 March 1764.

fig 2. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend family, by Charles Jervas. — fig 2. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend Family, by Charles Jervas.

CHARLES JERVAS (also Jarvis; c. 1675 – 2 November 1739) was an Irish portrait painter, translator, and art collector of the early 18th century. Born in County Offaly, Ireland around 1675, Jervas studied in London, England as an assistant under Sir Godfrey Kneller between 1694 and 1695.

fig 3. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend family, by Charles Jervas. — fig 3. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend Family, by Charles Jervas.

Painting portraits of the city's intellectuals, among them such personal friends as Jonathan Swift and the poet Alexander Pope (both now in the National Portrait Gallery, London), Charles Jervas became a popular artist often referred to in the works of literary figures of the period.

fig 4. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend family, by Charles Jervas. — fig 4. Portrait of a Young Boy of the Townshend Family, by Charles Jervas.

With his growing reputation, Jervas succeeded Sir Godfrey Kneller as Principal Portrait Painter to King George I in 1723, and continued to live in London until his death in 1739.

SIZE: 35.5 x 32.25 x 2.75 inches including the frame.

PROVENANCE. Raynham Hall, Norfolk. Sold at Sotheby's 1911. Private collection, Derbyshire, for many years.