Jacob Houbraken’s etching & engraving, “Portrait of Charles Fleetwood”, 1740

Jacob Houbraken (aka Jacobus Houbraken) (1698–1780)

“Portrait of Charles Fleetwood”, 1740, from the series, “Birch's Heads” (aka “The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, Engraved by Mr Houbraken and Mr Vertue, with their Lives and Characters by Thomas Birch, A.M.F.R.S.”), after the painting by Robert Walker (1599–1658) in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries of London (Burlington House), engraved in Amsterdam and published in London in 1740 (as inscribed on plate) by John Knapton (fl.1735–1789) and his brother Paul Knapton (1703–1755).

Regarding the auricular styled frame around the portrait, the Curator of the British Museum advises that Hubert-François Gravelot (aka Hubert François Bourguignon Gravelot; Hubert François Bourguignon) (1699–1773) “was responsible for the ornamental surrounds which were engraved first” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1844-0511-13).

Etching and engraving on laid paper trimmed close to the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 39.8 x 23.9 cm; (plate) 37.7 x 23.3 cm; (image borderline) 36.5 x 22.5 cm.

Lettered in plate around the portrait the image borderline: “LIEUTENANT GENERAL FLEETWOOD”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Walker pinx.”; (left of centre) “In the Possession of Thomas Cook Esqr.”; (right of centre) “Impensis I. & P. Knapton Londini 1740.”; (right) “J. Houbraken sculps. Amst. 1740.”

State ii (of ii) with the addition of publication details and lettering around the portrait.

Ver Huell 50 (Alexander Ver Huell 1875, “Jacobus Houbraken et Son Oeuvre”, Arnhem, P. Gouda Quint, p. 110, cat. no. 50); O'Donoghue 1 (Freeman O'Donoghue 1908–25, “Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits Preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum”, 6 vols., London, cat. no. 1).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Portrait of Charles Fleetwood, Governor of Ireland, bust directed to left but looking at the viewer, wearing armour; in an ornamental oval on a pedestal; a lion resting his paw on fasces below; with publisher's address; after Robert Walker. 1740”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1853-0112-1753).

See also the description of this print in its first state offered by the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.126745.

Condition: a well-printed, near faultless impression, trimmed close to the platemark as published. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, folds, stains or foxing.

I am selling this remarkable portrait showing collaboration between the engraver of the Baroque frame surrounding the portrait (viz. Hubert-François Gravelot) and Houbraken who engraved of the portrait of Lt.-Gen. Charles Fleetwood (c1618–1692)—an English Parliamentarian and Lord Deputy of Ireland—for AU$254 (currently US$190.18/EUR160.28/GBP137.72 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this fascinating portrait where the portrayed frame acts to give symbolic and psychological meaning to the sitter—in my personal reading I see the lion in the foreground as adding the idea courage, strength and nobility and its arrangement holding a Fasces (i.e., the bound bundle of rods traditionally used to sheath a sword or axe) as adding the symbolism of magisterial power and jurisdiction, while the lance and armour might signify a warrior mindset and military pedigree—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

Jacob Houbraken’s etching and engraving, “Portrait of John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale”, 1740, after Peter Lely

 

Jacob Houbraken (aka Jacobus Houbraken) (1698–1780)

“Portrait of John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale”, 1740, from the series, “Birch's Heads” (aka “The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, Engraved by Mr Houbraken and Mr Vertue, with their Lives and Characters by Thomas Birch, A.M.F.R.S.”), after the painting by Peter Lely (aka Sir Peter Lely; Pieter van der Faes) (1618–1680) in the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh (inv. no. 2128), engraved in Amsterdam and published in London in 1740 (as inscribed on plate) by John Knapton (fl.1735–1789) and his brother Paul Knapton (1703–1755).

Regarding the auricular styled frame around the portrait, the Curator of the British Museum advises that Hubert-François Gravelot (aka Hubert François Bourguignon Gravelot; Hubert François Bourguignon) (1699–1773) “was responsible for the ornamental surrounds which were engraved first” (see (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1844-0511-13).

Etching and engraving on laid paper trimmed close to the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 39.8 x 24.3 cm; (image borderline) 37.6 x 23.8 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: “IOHN DUKE OF LAUDERDALE”.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “P. Lely pinx.”; (left of centre) “In the Collection of Right Hon: the Earl of Dysert”; (right of centre) “Impensis I. & P. Knapton Londini 1740.”; (right) “J. Houbraken Sculps. Amst. 1740.”

State ii (of ii) with the addition of publication details.

Ver Huell 59 (Alexander Ver Huell 1875, “Jacobus Houbraken et Son Oeuvre”, Arnhem, P. Gouda Quint, p. 112, cat. no. 59); O'Donoghue 4 (Freeman O'Donoghue 1908–25, “Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits Preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum”, 6 vols., London, cat. no. 4).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Portrait of John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale, bust directed to left but looking at the viewer, wearing a neckerchief and brocaded jacket with star of the Order of the Garter; in an ornamental oval; an owl and books below; state with publisher's address; after Peter Lely. 1740”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1927-1126-1-7-9).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum:

 http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.126756.

Condition: well-printed, near faultless impression, trimmed close to the platemark as published. There is a hole (from binding?) at lower-left in the margin and a pencil note from a previous collector at upper-right margin; otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition with no tears, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this remarkable portrait showing collaboration between the engraver of the Baroque frame surrounding the portrait (viz. Hubert-François Gravelot) and Houbraken who engraved of the portrait of John Maitland—a Scottish politician who achieved “notoriety for his repressive rule in Scotland during Charles II’s reign” (https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Maitland-Duke-of-Lauderdale—for AU$254 (currently US$179.85/EUR154.06/GBP139.91at the time of posting this print) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this fascinating portrait where the portrayed frame acts to give symbolic and psychological meaning to the sitter—in my personal reading I see the symbolic attributes of scholarly wisdom ( viz. books, scrolled documents, owl and tree of knowledge) as anchoring a blustery storm of the sitter’s temperament—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold

Jacob Houbraken’s etching, “Ann of Cleves Queen of Henry VIII”, 1739

Jacob Houbraken (aka Jacobus Houbraken) (1698–1780)

“Ann of Cleves Queen of Henry VIII”, 1739, from the series, “Birch's Heads” (aka “The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, Engraved by Mr Houbraken and Mr Vertue, with their Lives and Characters by Thomas Birch, AM, FRS”), after Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/8–1543), published in 1740 (as inscribed on plate) by John Knapton (fl.1735–1789) and his brother Paul Knapton (1703–1755) in London.

The Curator of the British Museum offers the following insights regarding the publication of the series featuring this print:

“Initially issued in portfolios of four portraits from 1737 onwards, the portraits were subsequently published in Thomas Birch's compilation of biographies 'The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, Engraved by Mr. Houbraken and Mr. Vertue, with their Lives and Characters by Thomas Birch, A.M.F.R.S.', published by John and Paul Knapton in London (1743–1752). The number of portraits included varied according to the different editions, mostly containing 108 plates but some editions up to 120 plates (each measuring roughly 360 x 225 mm).

Most plates were engraved by Houbraken and at least seven were made by Vertue. Hubert-François Gravelot was responsible for the ornamental surrounds which were engraved first” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1844-0511-13).

Etching and engraving on laid paper trimmed along the image borderline on the top and sides and retaining the lettered publications details below the borderline, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 37.5 x 23 cm; (image borderline) 36.5 x 22.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (cartouche) “ANN OF CLEUES QUEEN OF K HENRY VIII.”

Lettered below the image borderline: (left) “Holben pinxit.”; (left of centre) “In the Collection of Thomas Barret Esqr.”; (right of centre) Impensis J. & P. Knapton Londini 1740.”; (right) J. Houbraken Sculps. Amst. 1739.”

State ii (of ii) with the addition of publication details.

Ver Huell 12 (Alexander Ver Huell 1875, “Jacobus Houbraken et Son Oeuvre”, Arnhem, P Gouda Quint, cat. no. 12);  O'Donoghue 3 (Freeman O'Donoghue 1908–25, “Catalogue of Engraved British Portraits Preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum”, 6 vols., London, cat. no. 3).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Portrait of Anne of Cleves, bust in frontal view, wearing a jewelled dress; in oval border with cartouche and putto pointing at a crown below; state with publisher's address; after Hans Holbein the Younger. 1739 (published 1740)”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1841-1211-85).

Condition: well-printed, near faultless impression, trimmed along the image borderline, but retaining the publication details below the borderline, and laid onto a support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing).

I am selling this remarkable portrait of Anne of Cleves (aka Anna von Kleve) (1515–1557)— the fourth wife of King Henry VIII from 6 January to 9 July 1540—set in an elaborate frame that was possibly engraved by Hubert-François Gravelot (aka Hubert-François Bourguignon) (1699–1773) before Jacob Houbraken engraved the portrait of the Queen, for AU$254 (currently US$176.38/EUR156.82/GBP141.27 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this serene portrait enlivened by an cartouche frame in the Baroque auricular style—a style described perfectly by Harold Osborne (1975) as “undulating, slithery and boneless forms [that] occasionally carry a suggestion of the inside of an ear or a conch shell” (The Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts)—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold