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ANTIQUE #SA973448

Portrait Of A Gentleman, Townsend Andrews C.1725; Circle Of Thomas Hudson (1701-1779), Antique Oil On Canvas Painting

Status: This item has been sold
Sold by: Titan Fine Art

This striking portrait is an exquisite example of the English eighteenth century Grand Manner portrait. The dashing young gentleman is Townsend Andrews, a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1727 to 1737. Born in 1702, he was the eldest son of Thomas Andrews of Highgate and his wife Sarah Townsend. In 1717 we was educated at the notorious Merchant Taylors'' School, which is a boys school founded in 1561 in London (still in operation today) – it had a reputation for scholarship and consequent chance of a university education and as such it attracted parents from all over the country. According to Cambridge University Alumni (1261-1900) he attended Clare College, Cambridge in 1719. Soon after he attended the Inner Temple. He succeeded his father around 1721 and to the estates of his maternal grandfather, John Townsend, at Tytherton Lucas and elsewhere in Wiltshire in 1725.
 
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A marriage Bond exists, dated 24th Feb 1729, between Townsend and Catherine Gibson (1712-1785), daughter of Thomas Gibson. The couple had four children before Townsend died as a young father on 6th May 1737 at Bossiney, Cornwall, England and was buried eight days later at St Michael’s Church, Highgate, London. He left all his estates to his wife. Catherine died in 1785 at the age of 73.
 
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At first glimpse the portrait seems to be a standard one in which the sitter is portrayed in what was at the time a gentlemanly pose with one arm tucked into his jacket. However, this portrait is not standard at all. Whilst the physiognomy has been depicted in an accomplished manner, and the portrait is striking in its study and portrayal of the sitter’s attitude, the depiction of the hands and the lively handling of the cuffs and the neckcloth are remarkable. These elements have been painted by another artist, as was customary among almost all leading British portraitists of the early to mid-18th century. Contemporary accounts regard these ‘drapery’ painters as master...
Antique #SA973448, shown on this page, originates from the 18th century. For historical context, the timeline below highlights the period when it was made:
←C18th
Famous inventions historic timeline graphic to help to give historical context to the date of this antique.
CONTACT DETAILS OF SELLER:
TITAN FINE ART PROFILE PHOTO WHICH LINKS TO DEALER PAGE
Titan Fine Art
Specialist dealer in portraits from the 17th to the 20th century. All stock is in excellent condition and can be hung & enjoyed immediately.
London
United Kingdom
STATUS
THIS ITEM HAS BEEN SOLD
HISTORIC TIMELINE OPTIONS