John Wootton

James Douglas-Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton 2nd Duke of Brandon (1703-1743);
Thence by descent to his son James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton and 3rd Duke of Brandon (1724-1758);
Probably thence by descent to the 12th Duke of Hamilton;
Probably his deceased sale, London, Christie’s, 6 November 1919, lot 87 (as J. Wootton, Portrait of a Pointer);
With Leggatt Brothers, London;
By whom sold (listed as "property of a client" in the Christie’s auctioneers book), London, Christie’s, 17 July 1955, to Gates.

 

Hamilton Inventory, 1759, pp. 33-35;
Hamilton Inventory, 1792/3, no. 518;
Elizabeth Einberg and Judy Egerton, The Age of Hogarth: British Painters Born 1675-1709, Tate Gallery Collections, vol. II, London 1988, p. 244, under cat. no. 166.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This work has not been recently restored, but it could be hung in its current condition nonetheless. Successive linings have left the surface quite smooth. Some thinness has developed to the paint layer, some of which has been restored. Cleaning the work is not recommended. The restoration that has been applied is effective, but a continuation and refinement of the retouching would be beneficial. The upper sky seems to be particularly weak, and the dark leaves in the upper center and left side have probably received restoration. Numerous retouches can be seen in the blue sky. A complex damage in the trees in the distance above the neck and back of the dog has been repaired. There is another group of retouches in front of the forelegs of the hound, and retouches beneath its chest. There are other losses behind the rear legs and tail, and in the tree trunk on the left side.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

A dating to the first quarter of the 18th century is most likely as the signature is of the type that Wootton commonly used until the 1720s.  After this date he mostly used a different form of signature. 

Dr. Godfrey Evans, of the National Museums of Scotland, has kindly provided assistance in researching the provenance for this picture.