Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A.

Sir John Saunders Sebright, 7th Baronet (the sitter's son-in-law);
Thence by descent to Sir Hugo Giles Sebright, 14th Baronet;
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 25 March 1966, lot 59, for 1400 Guineas, to Leger;
The Duke of Hamilton and Brandon;
By whom sold London, Sotheby's, 6 July 1977, lot 159;
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 24 April 1987, lot 94;
Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 16 November 1988, lot 69.

London, Royal Academy, Winter Exhibition, 1908, no. 152.

G. Waagen, Galleries & Cabinets of Art in Great Britain, (supplement to 1854 edition), London 1857, p. 330;
A. Graves and W.V. Cronin, A History of the Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., London 1899, vol. I, p. 213;
Sir W. Armstrong, Sir Joshua Reynolds, London 1900, p. 201;
E.K. Waterhouse, Reynolds, London 1941, pp. 65 and 113;
M. Cormack, "The Ledgers of Sir Joshua Reynolds," in Walpole Society, XLII, 1970, p. 148;
Sir R. Strong, The British Portrait 1660-1960, Woodbridge 1991, p. 216, reproduced plate 216;
D. Mannings, Sir Joshua Reynolds. A Complete Catalogue of His Paintings, New Haven 2002, Text vol. p. 155, cat. no. 454. Plates vol., p. 450, reproduced fig. 1134.

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.The work has not been recently restored and would benefit from careful restoration. The lining is fairly effective, although the texture of the paint has become slightly smoother than it was originally. The darker colors of the background and trees have become abraded. Although there are some retouches, they are not particularly effective. The fine embroidery in the waistcoat is slightly worn, but the condition of the figure is much better and shows very few retouches. If the work were cleaned and retouched accurately, there would be a notable difference.
"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."

Richard Crofts of West Harling Hall, Norfolk, was the first son of William Croftes of Saxham and his wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Mathew Decker, Bt., a London merchant. In 1773, Richard married Harriet, daughter of John Darrell, banker of York Street, St. James’s, London.  Their daughter, Harriet, married John Sebright, Member of Parliament for Hertford, who succeeded to the baronetcy in March 1794, becoming 7^th Baronet. 

Crofts is shown standing amongst trees, wearing a red coat and breeches and a pale brown, striped waistcoat.  He and his wife must have sat for Reynolds in 1775, as payments were made in November of that year and April of 1776.¹  The companion portrait of Harriet Darrell Crofts is in the collection of the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, Tennessee.

1.  Reynold’s Pocket Books, which list sitters and their appointments, are missing for 1774 and 1775 (see Mannings, under Literature).