Sir William Beechey, R.A.

By descent from the sitter to Lady Violet Louisa, daughter of the 6th Marquess of Ailsebury who married James Binney;
thence by descent until sold in London, Sotheby's, 18 February 1997, lot 143 (bt. for £5,200 by the present owner)

London, Royal Academy, 1821, no. 186

W. Roberts, Sir William Beechey, R. A., 1907, pp. 155, 251, 254;
J. Steegman, Portraits in Welsh Houses, 1962, Vol. II, p. 89, probably no. 29

STRUCTURE The canvas has not been lined. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in very good condition. There are no areas of damage or paint loss except for two very minor abrasions to the canvas edge in the upper right as can be seen in the catalogue illustration. There is also a craquelure overall in keeping with the painting's age. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light reveals a thin layer of varnish overall. There are some very minor scattered retouchings to the background. and the lower left along the canvas edge. There is also a small area of retouching measuring approx. 1 cm. by 1 cm. on the tip of the sitter's nose. however this is only visible under ultra violet light. FRAME Held in a splendid carved wood and plaster gilt frame. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482, or at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com, or Ludo Shaw Stewart on +44 (0)207 293 5816, or at ludovic.shawstewart@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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The sitter was the second son of Thomas Brudenell, 1st Earl of Ailesbury and his wife Susanna, daughter of Henry Hoare and widow of Viscount Dungarvon. He married the Hon. Henrietta Maria Hill, daughter of Lord Berwick, in 1793. Following her death in 1831 he married Maria Elizabeth Tollemache. He succeeded his father in 1814 and was created Marquess of Ailesbury by George IV at the time of his Coronation.