Sir William Beechey, R.A.

Commissioned from the artist by the sitters, Minstead Manor, Hampshire;
Thence by direct descent.

Both pictures are in good condition, with no apparent damage or major extant loss of paint, and the catalogue illustrations are representative. They have both been lined and there are some minor flecks of paint loss in the background of the male portrait, visible in the catalogue illustration. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals minor infilling to craquelure, as well as strengthening in the dark areas of the background, in both pictures. Both pictures are held in matching carved and gilded Carlot Maratta wooden frames. To speak to a specialist about this lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on +44 (0)207 293 5482.
"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."

John Compton was the second son of Henry Willis (1719-1786) of Minstead Manor, near Lyndhurst in the New Forest who took the name Compton in accordance with his aunt’s will in 1742. In 1778 John married Catharine (1770-1805), daughter of the Reverend John Richards who brought with her the properties of Mapperton and Winterborne, Whitchurch in Dorset. This may have induced him to sell the Bisterne Estate to the M.P. William Mills in 1792. The couple had one son Henry (see lots 256 & 257), who married in 1810 Charlotte, William Mills’s second daughter which restored a family connection to Bisterne. John served as High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1797 and Master of the New Forest Hounds between 1800 and 1803.