George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800-1870) politician and diplomat

Location

Country: Spain
City: Madrid
Place: British Embassy

This work was sold through Christie’s, London, on 10 February 1900 (Lot 59) by ‘Earl Waldegrave’, presumably William Frederick Waldegrave, nineth Earl Waldegrave (1851-1930). It may be the James Sant portrait of the Earl of Clarendon which formed part of the portrait gallery of the friends of Frances, Countess Waldegrave, compiled in imitation of Walpole's own gallery. In 1861, 22 Sant portraits of the friends and relatives of Lady Waldegrave, known as the Strawberry Hill Collection, were exhibited by art dealer Ernest Gambart at his French Gallery in Pall Mall.

Sant is known to have painted not only the Earl, but also the Countess of Clarendon for Lady Waldegrave. A portrait of the Countess of Clarendon was also included in the 1900 Christie's sale (Lot 58) and more recently passed through Bonhams, London, on 8 March 2005 (Lot 202).

James Sant, portrait and genre painter, was born in Croydon, Surrey. In 1842 he entered the Royal Academy Schools. Early in his career, he was commended for his idealised depictions of children. He later became a fashionable portrait painter and was elected a Royal Academician in 1869 and a member of La Regia Accademia Raffaello in Urbino, Italy, in 1877. He was appointed portrait painter to Queen Victoria in 1872 and as such enjoyed the patronage of many noble and landed families in England, although Victoria herself refused to sit to him. He did, however, paint state portraits of the Queen for the embassies of Turkey and Madrid. Sant died at his home in Lancaster Gate, near Hyde Park, at the impressive age of 96.

People

George William Frederick, 4th Earl of Clarendon Villiers (1800 - 1870)

Places

Subjects

male portrait, man, 19th century costume, cravat, Earl, Foreign Secretary, diplomat, Ambassador to Madrid

Materials & Techniques

canvas, oil, oil painting

Artist

James Sant (1820 - 1916)

Title

George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon (1800-1870) politician and diplomat

Date

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

height: 73.50 cm, width: 62.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Christie's, 10 February 1900

Provenance

Collection of Frances Elizabeth Anne Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave (née Braham; later married name Parkinson-Fortescue; 1821-1879) of Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, and part of a collection of 22 James Sant portraits of Waldegrave’s friends and relatives known as the ‘Strawberry Hill Collection’; by descent to William Frederick Waldegrave, ninth Earl Waldegrave (1851-1930); by whom sold through Christie’s, London, on 10 February 1900 (Lot 59); from which sale purchased by ‘Bailey’ on behalf of the Office of Works

GAC number

317