About this lot

Description

Four Portraits of the Ffolliott brothers: Aylmer (b. 1591), Francis (b. 1595), Richard (b. 1597) and Henry (b. 1601) all half length, all dressed identically each inscribed with their age upper left and the year 1603 upper right each oil on bevelled oak panel all within the size range of 45 x 38cm (4)

Footnote: Provenance: Private collection, Suffolk, Their Sale, Cheffins, Cambridge, 29th November 2006, lot 845, With Philip Mould Ltd, London, Private collection, Kensington, London The Ffolliott family, who are first recorded at the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth I in the 1560s, had by 1603 when John Ffolliott of Pirton Court was knighted, presumably risen in rank at court and these four portraits dated in that year were probably painted in recognition of the family’s elevation. Yet, by 1624, Pirton Court in Worcestershire was sold and other than one branch of the family rising to prominence in Ireland, the family and their name by the 19th century had all but disappeared. Of the sitters here represented, the eldest brother, Aylmer, married Barbara Smalbroke of Blakesley Hall, a house that still stands today near Birmingham. Francis became Vicar of Berkswell in Warwickshire and of the youngest, Richard and Henry, little is known and they probably both died young.

Condition report: All four paintings are executed in oil on oak panels formed from one or two boards in vertical alignment. The portrait of Francis is on a single board with an insert filling an old knot at the lower edge and splits in the back of the panel. The paint layer has small blisters across the surface following the lines of the woodgrain. This is caused by movement in the panel which is clearly responsive to environmental fluctuations and is a historic issue. There are scattered old losses and the panel has more areas of retouching than the other three. The thin paint passages on all four paintings has become worn and abraded overtime. There is overpaint on all four portraits which is well matched to the original. The varnish layers are semi-glossy, clear and even. The simple wooden frames are in a good condition.

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