PORTRAIT OF CHARLES HAWTREY BY JONATHAN RICHARDSON.

Portrait of Charles Hawtrey, oil on canvas in its original fine carved and gilded oval frame.

Jonathan Richardson (London 12 January 1667 – 28 May 1745 London) 
Sometimes called "the Elder" to distinguish him from his son (Jonathan Richardson the Younger) was an English artist, collector of drawings, and writer on art, working almost entirely as a portrait-painter in London. He was considered by some art-critics as one of the three foremost painters of his time. He was the master of Thomas Hudson and George Knapton. Richardson was even more influential as a writer; he is credited with inspiring Joshua Reynolds to paint and theorise with his book An Essay on the Theory of Painting. This book is credited with being "the first significant work of artistic theory in English." 
In our portrait Richardsons bravura brushwork is very much in evidence, his ecomony of stroke has a very lively quality really brings both the sitter and his costume to life.

Charles Hawtrey (1663-1698) 
Our stylish and rakish sitter is depicted very much a la mode wearing a tumbling wig and bright yellow silk robe, Charles was the son of Ralph Hawtrey of Eastcote Hall Ruidlip Middlesex (1570 – 1638) The senior line of the Hawtrey family had been seated at Chequers, Buckinghamshire since the thirteenth century. William Hawtrey of Chequers sat for Buckinghamshire in 1563 and his brother, Michael, for Bedford in 1572. A cadet branch was established early in the sixteenth century when a younger son, Ralph Hawtrey, married Winifred Wollaston of Ruislip, a village 20 miles away across the county border. 
As was customary on his fathers death, Ralph, received a gelding and cancellation of an obligation in which they were both bound wherea his elder brother the majority of the estate. Family legend has it that Charles very much liked the finer things in life, and his ebullient character is very much displayed here.

Provenance: Chequers Court, then by direct descent within the family, from whom secured directly by Period Portraits.

Higher resolution images on request. 
Worldwide shipping available.

Canvas : 29" x 24" / 74cm x 61cm.
Canvas: 28.7"x 24" / 73 x 61 cm.
Internal Ref: 00035

Price: £7250