Items Similar to Attributed to John Riley, 17th century English portrait of a girl on a terrace
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7
Attributed to John Riley, 17th century English portrait of a girl on a terracec. 1685
c. 1685
About the Item
Portrait of a young girl, full-length, wearing a blue silk gown, standing on a terrace beside a classical urn holding a branch with blossom. Attributed to John Riley (1646-1691). Oil on canvas, in a period cassetta giltwood frame. c.1685.
The sensitively painted young girl's face has a softness and realism conveying a sense of her character which is typical of Riley's artistic style, rather than the usual idealised depiction of beauty in this period. The white blossom she holds is possibly orange blossom which was often used to symbolise the purity and youth of the sitter and her availability for marriage.
Dimensions in frame 186 x 126cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Vienna
Christie's sale, London 20 February 1920, lot 136, sold as part of the estate of Arthur van de Vahl of Lancaster Gate, London, purchased by Gooden and Fox for £52 and 10 shillings.
John Riley (1646-1691) was born in Bishopsgate, London and was the son of John Riley Senior and his stepmother Jochebed (d. Jan 1693). In around 1660 Riley began training under Isaac Fuller (1606-1672) and later under Gerard Soest (1605-1681). The courtier and Keeper of the King's Jewels and Closet, Thomas Chiffinch sat for him, and was so pleased with his portrait (Dulwich Picture Gallery) that he showed it to King Charles II. Charles II gave Riley some commissions, eventually sitting for him himself where he commented 'Is this like me? then odds fish I'm an ugly fellow!'. Riley allegedly took this comment personally and he was never able to bear looking at the portrait again.
His friend and earliest biographer, Richard Graham claimed 'that which eminently distinguished [Riley] from all his contemporaries was his peculiar excellence in a Head and especially the colouring part'. Riley realised where his strengths and weaknesses lay and hired fellow artists such as Baptiste Gaspars (1641-1692), who had also worked with Lely to paint 'postures'. (in 1681 the Painter Stainers' Company asked Riley and Gaspars to paint a portrait of the Duchess of York for them). Riley also worked in partnership with John Closterman who was particularly skilled in painting clothes or 'draperies' and who finished several of Riley`s portraits after his death. The three quarter length of Katherine Elliott (d.1688) in the Royal Collection is described in a Queen Anne inventory as 'Ryley ye Head Closterman ye drapery' (Millar, no. 331).
According to Riley's pupil Thomas Murray (1663-1735), Riley refused to even allow his students to watch him while he was painting 'from life'. This contrasted with his rival Kneller in the 1680's who was incredibly confident and allowed anyone to watch him at close quarters while he worked. Graham claimed that one of the reasons Riley was so successful as a portrait painter was because 'he was a gentleman extremely courteous in his behaviour, obliging in his conversation, never guilty of a piece of vanity of saying mighty things on his own behalf and was prudent in his actions'. Thomas Murray's account corroborates this, showing how Riley could 'hide his feelings and be agreeable'. Riley was a quiet, modest man and appears to have been more comfortable occupying himself with less illustrious sitters from the professional classes and more unusually from the lower serving classes - with one of his most famous portraits being a grand society full length portrait of serving lady Bridget Holmes (Royal Collection). Riley is known for his gentleness and sensitivity of approach in depicting the characters of his sitters, giving an air of engaging modesty about them, such as seen in his portrait of the playwright Aphra Benn. This sobriety of manner was an aspect of his style which he passed on to his pupil Jonathan Richardson (1667-1745) which in turn went on to influence the painting of his pupil Thomas Hudson and then his pupil Joshua Reynolds.
Riley's career culminated in July 1689 when he was appointed joint Principal Painter to William III and Queen Mary with Godfrey Kneller. Richardson is said to have married Riley`s niece who then administered his will on Riley's death in 1691, selling Riley's art collection in 1693.
Literature:
Sir Roy Strong 'The British Portrait'. Introduction 'The British Obsession' p.61.1991.
Richard Charlton-Jones 'The British Portrait' Chapter 1.1991.
J. Douglas Stewart, ' Riley, John (1646-1691)'. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2004.
'RILEY, John', Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Oxford Art Online 2014.
- Attributed to:John Riley (1646 - 1691, English)
- Creation Year:c. 1685
- Dimensions:Height: 73.23 in (186 cm)Width: 49.61 in (126 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Bath, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU9527560772
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Seller
These experienced sellers undergo a comprehensive evaluation by our team of in-house experts.
Established in 2002
1stDibs seller since 2015
36 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
Associations
The British Antique Dealers' AssociationLAPADA - The Association of Arts & Antiques DealersInternational Confederation of Art and Antique Dealers' Associations
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Bath, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- An English 18th century portrait of James Stanley, standing in a landscapeBy John Hamilton MortimerLocated in Bath, SomersetPortrait of James Stanley (1750 - 1810), circa 1775-1778, full-length, wearing a red coat and breeches and a gold embroidered waistcoat, hold...Category
1770s English School Portrait Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas, ABS
- 18th century English portrait of a lady beside an urn, with a basket of flowersBy Tilly KettleLocated in Bath, SomersetPortrait of a lady wearing a white gown with a red cloak, pearls in her hair and draped over one shoullder, standing beside a classical urn with a basket of flowers, c.1765. The portrait is believed to be a companion portrait of a John (1741-1816) or James (1751-1807) Durno which is housed in an identical frame. The sitter is possibly either the wife of John who was Janes Byres of Stonywood or John and James's sister Elizabeth. (James never married). The Durno family were based around the Aberdeen area of Scotland and John was an advocate in the area and then later a customs official in Jamaica. James was a successful timber merchant, spending time in the Baltic before being made His Majesty's Consul in Memel, Prussia. The portrait is likely to have been painted before Tilly travelled to India in 1768, when John, Jane and Elizabeth would have been in their twenties. We are gtrateful to Mark Beattie for sharing his family knowlege and research on the portrait. Provenance: With W. C. Beattie in the mid 19th century, and by descent through the family Private collection, Kent With thanks to Hugh Belsey who has confirmed this to be the work of Tilly Kettle from photographs. Tilly Kettle (1735-1786) was born in London, the third of six children by Henry Kettle (c.1704-c.1773), a coach painter, and his wife Ann. He attended William Shipley...Category
18th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- English 18th century portrait of Henrietta Pelham-Holles, Duchess of Newcastle.By Charles JervasLocated in Bath, SomersetPortrait of Henrietta Pelham-Holles (née Godolphin) (1701-1776), Duchess of Newcastle, standing in a wooded landscape with a river beyond, three-quarter length wearing an ivory silk ...Category
1720s Old Masters Portrait Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas
- 17th century portrait of a ladyBy Nicolaes MaesLocated in Bath, SomersetPortrait of a lady by Dutch Golden Age painter Nicolaes Maes (1634-1693). Half-length, within a feigned oval, the lady wears a pearl necklace and earrings, an ivory silk gown adorned...Category
17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- 17th century portrait of a lady seated in an interiorLocated in Bath, SomersetPortrait of a lady, believed to be Henrietta Hyde (née Boyle), Countess of Rochester, (1646-1687) three quarter length, wearing an amber coloured silk gown, with an embroidered blue mantle, seated in an interior. Oil on canvas in a ‘Lely’ frame with the Hornby Castle inventory number 60 attached on the reverse. Provenance: By descent through the Dukes of Leeds, Hornby Castle, Yorkshire; Christie's, London - The Property of the 10th Duke of Leeds Will Trust, 30th October, 2014, Lot 106. Private collection Guernsey. Hornby Castle, Catalogue of Pictures, London, 1898, p. 5, no.60. Historical and descriptive catalogue of pictures belonging to His Grace The Duke of Leeds, London, 1902, p. 24, no. 60. Henrietta was born in Wiltshire, to Sir Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Cork and Elizabeth Boyle, Countess of Cork. In 1665, she married Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, son of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon and Frances Aylesbury. They had four children. As sister-in-law of Anne Hyde, the Duchess of York she was appointed as governess to her daughter, Princess Anne (the future Queen) between 1677 and 1682. Like most of the Boyle dynasty, who in the space of two generations had become almost all-powerful in the south of Ireland, Henrietta was strong-minded and acquisitive, and could be ruthless in asserting her rights. During the last two years of her life, when her husband was Chief Minister to his brother-in-law King James II...Category
17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- English 17th century portrait of James Thynne as a young boy by a fountainBy Johann KerseboomLocated in Bath, SomersetPortrait of the Hon. James Thynne (c. 1680-1704), full-length, in the gardens of Longleat House, seated beside a fountain, holding a shell beneath water spouting from a horn blown by a cherub on a dolphin. A glimpse of part of Longleat House can be seen upper left. Oil on canvas in a period giltwood frame, decorated with leaves and acorns. C. 1682. Dimensions: 145 x 123cm (57 x 48in) in frame Provenance: Ex Longleat House, Wiltshire Private collection, Bath James Thynne was the youngest son of Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth and Frances Finch of Longleat House, Wiltshire. He died in his youth and his Aunt, Anne Kingsmill Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (1661-1720), wrote a moving poem on his death. He was buried in the family vault at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire. A mezzotint of this painting by William Faithorne the Younger is held in the Royal Collection. Johann Kerseboom (d.1708) was the nephew of Frederick Kerseboom and first worked in Germany before coming to England in the 1680's where his sitters included the 'Electress Sophia Dorothea' (known from a mezzotint by William Faithorne). His early works were influenced by William Wissing...Category
17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas
You May Also Like
- Mid 17th Century British Old Master Oil Painting Portrait of Man in Flemish CityLocated in Cirencester, GloucestershirePortrait of Thomas Collard (rector of Withycombe, Somerset 1670-1691) the city depicted in the distance is thought to be Antwerp. the portrait historically has been thought to be fr...Category
Mid-17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Venice Landscape Italian Oil on Canvas Painting in Gilt Wood Frame, Belle EpoqueLocated in Firenze, ITThis delightful turn of the century (early 20th century) oil on canvas painting represents an Italian landscape with one of the most famous squares in the world: Piazza San Marco in ...Category
Early 20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Self-portrait in Indonesian LandscapeLocated in Amsterdam, NLAbraham Johannes Romswinckel (1810-1856) Self-portrait in Indonesian landscape Inscribed Abr. Joh. Romswinckel, geb. Batavia 17 Oct. 1810, overl...Category
1820s Romantic Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- At the Yacht ClubBy Edward CucuelLocated in Costa Mesa, CAArtist Edward Cucuel and his wife Clara Lotte von Marcard spent their first two decades together in Germany, mostly in a villa on Lake Ammersee in Holzhausen near Munich. It is the works created in this period, mainly outdoor scenes of young women in fashionable attire of the day, that are most collected and appreciated among his works. It’s easy to see why- they capture an elegance and sense of calm and easy leisure- of long days in gardens or by the water. This is one of those captured moments with a well-dressed woman watching the sailing yacht...Category
1920s Impressionist Landscape Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Childhood - Contemporary Nature Oil Painting, Landscape, Child PortraitBy Aleksandra BaturaLocated in Salzburg, ATAleksandra Batura (b. 1982 in Augustów) a Warsaw based artist. She earned a Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. She studied at the Faculty of Painting...Category
2010s Contemporary Landscape Paintings
MaterialsCotton Canvas, Oil
- Central park Moreno Pincas Contemporary art oil painting nature portrait NYBy Moreno PincasLocated in Paris, FRMoreno PINCAS depicts life. Noisy, agitated. With a critical and tender eye, he sketches existence as if it were a play and each time tells us a new story made up of meetings and liv...Category
2010s Contemporary Landscape Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
How To Purchase
How To Sell
Painting To Look Antique
17th Century English
Portrait Old Man
Portrait Of Old Man
John Richard Collection
John And Mary
Portrait Of An Old Man
English Attributed
John Richard Framed
Portrait Girl White
Head Of A Girl
John English Oil Painting
John C William
Blue John Antique
Old Man Face
Head Of A Young Man