About this lot

Description

Follower of Sir Anthony van Dyck (Flemish, 1599-1641) Portrait of Robert, Lord Digby of Geashill (d.1643), half-length, in a white shirt, brown cloak and lace-edged collar oil on canvas, in a painted faux marble frame 78 x 61cm (30 x 24in)
Provenance: Mawley Hall, Shropshire Literature: Oliver Millar et al, 'Sir Anthony van Dyck, A Complete Catalogue of the Paintings', New Haven and London, 2004, IV.A12 (where the present portrait is mentioned as at Mawley Hall and as a copy of the original at Oakly) Other Notes: Robert Digby, 1st Baron Digby (d. 1642), was an Anglo-Irish peer. Digby was the son of Sir Robert Digby of Coleshill, Warwickshire and Lettice FitzGerald, of Geashill, Ireland, granddaughter of Gerald FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Kildare. John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol, was his uncle, and Essex Digby, Bishop of Dromore, his brother. Digby notably served as Governor of King's County in Ireland. In 1620, he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Digby of Geashill. He married, firstly, Lady Sarah Boyle, daughter of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, and Catherine Fenton; this marriage produced a son, Kildare Digby (c. 1627-1661). Digby married secondly, Elizabeth Altham, daughter of Sir James Altham and his second wife, Mary Stapers. Digby died in 1642 and was succeeded in the barony by his son Kildare. The original by Van Dyck is at Oakly Park, Shropshire, with another version at Sherborne giving the sitter's age as 40. We are grateful to Professor Edward Chaney for his assistance with the catalogue entry.
Oil on canvas which has been lined. The canvas is in plane with good tension. The paint layer has a wrinkled surface texture with some areas of raised craquelure. There are numerous retouchings across the surface which are well matched to the original. The thick varnish layer is even, glossy and slightly yellowed. The frame has a painted marble effect with a gilded sight edge.

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