Property from an Irish Private Collection
John Michael Wright
Portrait of a lady, possibly Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705)
Lot Closed
December 9, 02:23 PM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Property from an Irish Private Collection
John Michael Wright
London 1617 - 1694
Portrait of a lady, possibly Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705)
oil on canvas
unframed: 141 x 123.4 cm.; 55½ x 48⅝ in.
framed: 157.5 x 138.8 cm.; 62 x 54⅝ in.
Anonymous sale, Crewkerne, Lawrences Auctioneers, 17 April 2015, lot 1691;
Where acquired by the present owner.
The sitter is possibly Catherine of Braganza (1638–1705), Queen Consort of Charles II, as a young woman. Comparison with other portraits of Catherine of Braganza show facial resemblances, most notably in the portraits by Jacob Huysman,1 and Peter Lely,2 both in the Royal Collection. Another early portrait by Dirck Stoop, painted in Portugal and sent to Charles II before the marriage, is different both in terms of style and dress but still exhibits a few key comparable facial features, such as the full lips which crease at the edge, the straight nose and the almond-shaped eyes (National Portrait Gallery).3 However, the eyes and hair depicted here are of a lighter tone than in other portraits of Catherine.
1 Inv. RCIN 405665; https://www.rct.uk/collection/405665/catherine-of-braganza-1638-1705
2 Inv. RCIN 401214; https://www.rct.uk/collection/401214/catherine-of-braganza-1638-1705
3 Inv. NPG 2563; https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw01148/Catherine-of-Braganza