Francis Cotes, RA,  British 1726-1770-  Portrait of Charlot

Lot description

Francis Cotes, RA, British 1726-1770- Portrait of Charlotte, Lady Wolseley, standing three-quarter length in a landscape, wearing a silver dress with a gold belt, leaning on an urn; oil on canvas, signed and dated 'F Cotes. R.A. px.t / 1767' (lower right), bears label inscribed 'Lady Wolseley, wife of Sir William / Wolseley 6th Bart., Married 2nd / July 1765, Died 14th July 1819 / painted by F. Cotes 1767' attached to the upper stretcher bar, bears partial old exhibition label inscribed 'THE PROPERTY OF Sir Edwin Wolseley' attached to the upper stretcher bar, 127.3 x 101.8 cm. Provenance: The family of the sitter; Thence by descent to Sir Charles Wolseley, Bart. Private Collection, UK. Exhibited: Birmingham, Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery, 'Commemorative Exhibition of the Art Treasures of the Midlands', 1934, no.448 (lent by Sir Edric Wolseley, Bart). Nottingham, Nottingham University Art Gallery, 'Introducing Francis Cotes, RA', 1971, no.31, illustrated in catalogue (lent by Sir Charles Wolseley, Bart). Literature: E.M. Johnson, 'Francis Cotes: Complete Edition with a Critical Essay and a Catalogue', Oxford, 1976, no.222. Note: Charlotte Barbara Chambers, only child of Zachary Chambers, of Wimbledon, married Sir William Wolseley, 6th Bart., of Wolseley, in 1765. Although the Royal Academy did not come into being until December 1768 the portrait is signed 'F. Cotes R.A. pxt. 1767'. Presumably Cotes was asked to add the signature - which is perfectly genuine - at a later date. Cotes trained with the portrait painter George Knapton (1698-1778), and, like his tutor, went on to become one of the most successful and highly sought-after portraitists of the 18th century. Indeed, he is often considered the only other serious rival of contemporaries Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) and Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), with whom he served as co-founder of the Royal Academy in 1768. He was also a pioneer of pastel painting in Britain, influenced by the work of Rosalba Carriera (1673-1757). The present portrait is typical of Cotes' elegant portraits, characterised by the sitter's delicately-painted face, evoking an almost tangible sense of her presence, as well as the attention given to the rich fabrics of her costume. Similar works can be found in a number of museum collections, including with the National Trust at Chirk Castle [1171185] and the National Galleries of Scotland [PG 2792]. It also recalls the artist's portrait of Elizabeth Burdett which sold at Bonhams, London, on 6 December 2006, lot 38 (£36,000 hammer), and his portrait of Alice, Countess of Shipbrook, which sold at Sotheby's, New York, on 9 June 2011, lot 110 ($50,000).