THOMAS SPENCER | RALPH GORE, VISCOUNT BELLEISLE AND 1ST EARL OF ROSS (1725-1802) ON HIS BAY HUNTER IN A LANDSCAPE

UK: Greenford Park Warehouse

Auction Closed

January 21, 06:17 PM GMT

Estimate

20,000 - 30,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

KILLADOON HOUSE, PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT IRISH ESTATE

THOMAS SPENCER

British, active circa 1730 - circa 1763

RALPH GORE, VISCOUNT BELLEISLE AND 1ST EARL OF ROSS (1725-1802) ON HIS BAY HUNTER IN A LANDSCAPE

later inscribed lower left: RALPH GORE / EARL OF ROSS

oil on canvas

101 x 137.5 cm.; 39¾ x 54⅛ in.

Please note that the canvas is unlined and not as stated in the printed catalogue. This work will be sent to our warehouse after the sale.

We are grateful to Richard Wills for endorsing the attribution to Spencer following first-hand inspection of the work. The painting will be included in his catalogue raisonné on James Seymour as a copy after the signed and dated painting from 1748 by Seymour in the Duke of Norfolk's collection, Arundel Castle (oil on canvas, 104.8 x 135.3 cm.).

The sitter was born at Belle Isle Castle, the second son of Sir Ralph Gore, 4th Bt., and his second wife Elizabeth, only daughter of St. George Ashe, Bishop of Clogher. A distinguished soldier and politician he was created Earl of Ross in 1772, a title that had been dormant since the previous Earl of Ross had become King Charles I in 1625. Ralph Gore was a cousin of Hannah Gore (who was married to Nathaniel Clements, the 1st Earl of Leitrim’s father) and also married her youngest daughter, Alice - making him the brother-in-law of Robert Clements, 1st Lord Leitrim.