By (Circle of) Mary Beale
Located in York, GB
A very fine oil on canvas of Sir John Pettus ,circle of Mary Beale 17th century
Wearing a red cloak and a black tunic with white collar. His coat of arms to the right.Unsigned
Housed in a gilt frame, the size overall being 85 x 74 cm whilst the painting is 76 x 63.5cm
In overall excellent condition.
There is a wealth of history about the sitter online , below is a brief resume
John Pettus
Sir John Pettus (1613–1690) was an English royalist, politician and natural philosopher. Pettus was an expert on metallurgy and became a deputy governor of the royal mines in England and Wales under Charles I and II. He is known for the first English translation of the work of the German metallurgist Lazarus Ercker.
Pettus’s grandfather was a wealthy Norwich merchant ,he purchased the manor of Rackheath in 1590 and represented the city in 1601 and 1604-10. Although a younger son, Pettus inherited the manors of Chediston and Wenhaston, He married well; but even before the Civil War most of his estate was mortgaged, and his wife’s expectations were never realized, owing to her father’s misfortunes as leader of the City Royalists. Pettus became a servant to Charles I, and took part in the farcical royalist attempt on Lowestoft in March 1643, but was exchanged after nearly a year in prison. It is unlikely that he resumed command of his regiment, such as it was, since he ‘continued inoffensive till the taking of Bristol’ by the New Model Army...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Portrait Paintings
