Studio of Sir Anthony van Dyck

Possibly at Warwick Castle, Warwick;

In the collection of Keylinge Greenway, Halloughton Hall, Kingsbury from whom acquired in 1887 by J.H. Rice of Pinsent and Co. on behalf of Thomas Ryland;

Thomas Ryland (1818-1905), the Redlands, Sutton Coldfield and Moxhull Park, Wishaw;

By decent to his grandson Thomas Howard Ryland (1876-1948), Moxhull Hall, Wishaw and later Morton House, Leamington Spa, whose daughter Pamela Maslin (1914-1988) bought it from his estate in 1950;

Thence by descent to the present owners.

On loan to City of Birmingham, Museum & Art Gallery, 29 September - 2 December 1929 (lent by T. H. Ryland);

On loan to Royal Leamington Spa Art Gallery circa 1938.

The painting appears to be in good condition, with no extant damages or loss of paint, and the illustration in the catalogue is representative. The canvas has been lined and there are faint diagonal pressure lines in the corners of the canvas, which relate to the stretcher supports, visible only under raking light. The paint surface is well preserved, it has not been abraded or pressed and there is surviving impasto in the highlights. There are a small number of slightly raised horizontal lines of craquelure in the lower two inches of the canvas, probably as a result of past canvas sagging, but otherwise the picture appears to be in a generally well preserved state. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals a small area of concentrated retouching above the left hand eye, and in the centre of the forehead. There is also a small number of further scattered minor flecks of infilling to craquelure in the flesh tones, as well as in the collar. There is an area of retouching in the right elbow, resting on the helmet, as well as retouching in the background to the right of the elbow, particularly one area just above the crown. There is one area of concentrated retouching in the hand resting on the helmet, as well as some further minor scattered flecks of retouching in both hands, and a number of minor scattered small areas of retouching in the lower centre and lower left of the canvas, particularly one area in the white highlight of the armour. There are a further small number of minor retouchings in the background, especially in the upper right. These retouchings are all minor, and largely superficial, and there does not appear to be any major structural damage to the painting. The painting is in generally good, well preserved condition. Held in an ebonised carved wooden frame, with a gilded inner edge. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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The prime version of this portrait of King Charles is in the collection of the Duke of Norfolk at Arundel Castle.¹ Painted circa 1635-6, the head is a reworking of the central head in the triple portrait in the Royal Collection.²This picture, a studio reworking of the prime version, is identical but for the insignia. In the Arundel picture, the King wears the Lesser George suspended from a simple gold chain, a smaller flatter pendant favoured for informal occasions. In this picture the King wears the Greater George, suspended from more intricate chain collar which was worn for the Order’s ceremonial occasions. Another example of this type displaying the Greater George, is listed as being in the Collection of Colonel Henry Bodvel Lewis Hughes, at Kinmel Park in North Wales, before passing into the Collection of Count B. G. de Montgomery, in Sweden by 1934, according to an old Heinz Archive mount.

1. See O. Millar et al., Van Dyck, A complete catalogue of the paintings, New Haven and London 2004, p. 466, cat. no. IV.49, reproduced fig. IV.49;
2. Ibid, p. 464-5, cat. no. IV.48, reproduced p. 465, fig. IV.48