| Method | Copper engraving |
| Artist | Jacobus Houbraken after Jonathan Richardson Snr |
| Published | Impensis J. & P. Knapton Londini 1738. |
| Dimensions | Image 360 x 227 mm, Plate 373 x 235 mm, Sheet 493 x 332 mm |
| Notes |
A bust length portrait of Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet turned slightly left but looking at the viewer, wearing a long wig, lace neckerchief, and a dark coat, in a architectural oval draped with fabric on a pedestal with a caduceus and a shield with a coat of arms on t below. This portrait of William Wyndham is from Thomas Birch's The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain. The portraits featured in the series, which were engraved by Jacob Houbraken and George Vertue, were originally issued from 1737 onwards in portfolios of four portraits. Between 1743 and 1752, the series was published by John and Paul Knapton in London in the form of Birch's The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, and contained biographies alongside the portraits. The number of plates included varied from edition to edition. Although the majority contained 108 plates, some editions contained as many as 120. Houbraken was responsible for producing a large proportion of the portraits, with Vertue only engraving around seven. The ornamental surroundings featured on the plates were engraved prior to the portraits, and were done so by Hubert-François Gravelot. Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet (c. 1688-1740) wasa Tory MP for Somerset, Secretary at War in 1712, Lord Chancellor in 1713, and became the Jacobite leader in 1715. Jacob, or Jacobus, Houbraken (1698-1780) was a Dutch portrait engraver, and dealer and collector of Rembrandt's etchings. Born in Dordrecht, he was the son of the artist Arnold Houbraken. In 1707 he moved to Amsterdam, where he assisted his father on a book of the lives of the Dutch Golden Age artists, entitled De Groote Schouburgh der Nederlantsche konstschilders en schilderessen (1718-1721). Between 1743 and 1752, Houbraken worked with George Vertue on Thomas Birch's Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain. He also engraved the portraits for Jan van Gool's Nieuwe schouburg der Nederlantsche kunstschilders (1750-51). Between 1752 and 1759, he worked on Jan Wagenaar's Vaderlandsche historie, which was published by Isaac Tirion. Jonathan Richardson Snr (1667-1745). Portrait painter, writer on art, collector and etcher; student of the painter John Riley; both he and his son Jonathan Richardson Junior were among the best art connoisseurs of the period, particularly in works of the Italian School and together they published a series of travel notes in 1722 entitled 'An Account of some of the Statues, Bas-reliefs, Drawings and Pictures in Italy' (2 vols.); alone, Richardson Senior wrote 'Essay on the Theory of Painting' (1715), 'Essay on the whole Art of Criticism in Relation to Painting' and 'An Argument on behalf of the Science of a Connoisseur'. Ver Huell 80, O' Donoghue 1 Condition: Excellent impression wth good margis some small tears and light creases to edges of sheet not affecting the image |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £75.00 |
| Stock ID | 45057 |