George Vertue

Thomas Willis, MD, 17th C. Pioneer of Neurology & Psychiatry: 18th C. Portrait

1742

This is an early 18th century portrait of Sir John Powell entitled "The Honorable Sr. John Powell, Knight. one of the Justices of her Majesties' Court of Common Pleas. Ano. D 1711". It was engraved and published by John King in London in 1711, after an earlier work by William Sherwin. The engraving depicts a bust length portrait of Powell wearing an elaborate fir-trimmed robe and collar. The portrait is encompassed in an ornate oval frame, sitting on a pedestal with an impressive coat-of-arms below. This engraved portrait is printed on laid, chain-linked watermarked cream-colored paper The sheet measures 15.25" high and 11.38" wide. It is adhered to an archival thick card at the upper corners, There is a 1/8" tear at the lower edge of the sheet, but the print is otherwise in very good condition. This engraving is held by museums and institutions, including the British Museum and the Harvard University Art Museum. Sir John Powell (1632-1696) was an English lawyer and judge who served as a justice of the King's Bench from 1683 until his death. He was born in Glamorganshire, Wales, and studied at Jesus College, Oxford, before being called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1656. Powell was known for his staunch support of the monarchy and the Church of England, and he played a prominent role in the trial of the Whig leader Lord William Russell in 1683, which resulted in Russell's execution for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate King Charles II. Powell was also involved in the trials of several other prominent Whig politicians, including Algernon Sidney and Titus Oates. In addition to his work as a judge, Powell was also a member of Parliament for various constituencies throughout his career, and he served as Solicitor General and Attorney General for Wales under King James II. However, he opposed James's efforts to promote Catholicism and supported the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which led to James's overthrow and the installation of William and Mary as joint monarchs. Powell was known for his intellectual rigor and his legal expertise, and he authored several influential legal treatises during his lifetime. He was widely respected by his peers and by the legal community as a whole, and his legacy as a jurist and judge continues to be celebrated today. William Sherwin (1645-1709) was an English engraver who worked during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and is known for his high-quality engravings of various subjects, including portraits, landscapes, and architectural views. Sherwin was trained as an engraver and worked as an apprentice to the renowned engraver Robert White. After completing his training, he went on to establish his own studio in London, where he produced a significant body of work over the course of his career. One of Sherwin's most famous works is his engraving of the portrait of John Locke...

This is a 17th century engraving entitled "Messire Nicolas Lambert Seigneur de Thorigny, Conseiller du Roy" by Pierre Drevet after a painting by Noicolas de Largillière, published in Paris in 1698. This portrait depicts a three-quarter length view of Nicolas Lambert de Thorigny, who is dressed in elaborate robes and collar of a wealthy Parisian nobleman of the time. He is seated directed to the left and looking directly at the viewer. He is holding an inscribed note in his right hand. A magnificent billowing curtain is in the background. Lambert's coat of arms is shown in the center of the lower inscription area. In the inscription area is lettered with title, production detail: "Nic. Largilliere pinxit" and "Petr. Drevet sculpsit", and publication detail: "Se vend a Paris chez Drevet rüe du Foin au coin du College de Maître Gervais". Nicolas Lambert, Seigneur de Thorigny (1600-1664), was a French nobleman and military commander who lived in the 17th century. He served in the French army during the Thirty Years' War, a conflict that took place from 1618 to 1648 and involved many European powers. Lambert fought in several battles during the war and rose to the rank of colonel. After the war, Lambert returned to France and became involved in politics. He served as a member of the Estates General, a legislative body that advised the king, and as a governor of several provinces. He was a counsellor and confidant of King Louis XIV. He had the title of Président de la Chambre des Comptes. He also became a member of the French Academy of Sciences, a prestigious institution that promotes scientific research and scholarship. Lambert was known for his military expertise, his intelligence, and his commitment to public service. He iInherited the Hôtel Lambert in Paris from his brother Jean Baptiste in 1644 and hired some of the most prominent artists of the time, including Charles Le Brun to decorate and furnish the building. This beautiful old master engraving was created with impressive detailed technique. It is printed on laid, chain-linked paper. The sheet measures 18.5" high and 13.38" wide. The sheet is adhered to an archival backing paper at the top. There is a faint horizontal center fold and mild discoloration in the inscription area and in the upper margin on the right, with mild wrinkling here. The print is otherwise in very good condition, considering its age. This engraving is so rare, that no comparable prints could be identified for sale online. It is currently only listed in museum collections, including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum, The Louvre, The Riksmuseum, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Fitzwilliam Museum at the U. of Cambridge, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Harvard Art Museums, The Finnish National Museum, The Philadelphia Museum. It is shown in the Metropolitan Museum's Cataloque of French paintings entitled: "French Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, published in 2018, page 36. The page is included in the photos. Nicolas de Largillière (1656-1746) was a French portrait painter who achieved great success and acclaim during the late Baroque and Rococo periods. He was born in Paris and trained under the painter Antoine Goubeau. He studied in Antwerp and London before returning to France. While in England he was a favorite painter of King Charles II and King James II of England...

A superb 18th century engraved portrait of George Savile, Marquis of Halifax, Plate 82 in "The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain", written by...

This is an 18th century engraved and etched portrait of Johannes Wesselius by Jacobus Houbraken after a painting by Jan Maurits Quinkhard. It depicts a half-height image of Wesselius...

Copper-line engraving by Jacobus Houbraken (1698-1780). Houbraken was a Dutch engraver famous for his series of portraits of famous English historical figures with elaborate cartouc...

Copper-line engraving by Jacobus Houbraken (1698-1780) after the painting by Peter Lely. Houbraken was a Dutch engraver famous for his series of portraits of famous English historic...

Portrait of Man is an original etching artwork realized by Thomas Holloway for Johann Caspar Lavater's "Essays on Physiognomy, Designed to Promote the Knowledge and the Love of Manki...

Copper-line engraving by Jacobus Houbraken (1698-1780). Houbraken was a Dutch engraver famous for his series of portraits of famous English historical figures with elaborate cartouc...