Bonhams 1793 : Margaret, Lady Bingham (British, 1740-1814) After Isaac Oliver Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586), wearing grey doublet laid across with silver cord, white lace falling collar with scalloped edge, his brown hair worn loose

Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586), wearing grey doublet laid across with silver cord, white lace falling collar with scalloped edge, his brown hair worn loose.
Inscribed on the obverse Sir Philip Sydney K^nt ~~~, inscribed on the reverse Collⁿ of the Duke of Portland/ copied by me MB and inscribed in a second hand at a later date 212, gilt-metal frame.
Oval, 60mm (2 3/8in) high

Estimate:

£800 - 1,200
€940 - 1,400
US$ 1,200 - 1,800

Footnotes

This miniature is commensurate with Isaac Oliver's portrait miniature of a Gentleman in the Duke of Portland's Collection (Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire). Certainly, Bingham's inscription on the reverse indicates that her own version was the result of having copied directly from the 16th century original.

Although Bingham has named the sitter as 'Sir Philip Sydney' [sic], the author of the 'Defence of Poesy', on the obverse, the identification of the sitter as portrayed by Oliver has proven problematic. In the Welbeck librarian's catalogue raisonné of 1916, the Portland version is documented simply as 'A Gentleman', in spite of what Sir Richard Holmes had written to the contrary in 'The Burlington Magazine' a decade previously, given the absence of any tangible association between poet and portrait. However, it would appear that at the time Bingham executed the present lot, the sitter's identity was perceived to be indubitable (R. W. Goulding, The Welbeck Abbey Miniatures belonging to His Grace the Duke of Portland K.G., G.C.V.O., 1916, no.24, pl.IV, p.68).

Category: Fine Art / Portrait Miniatures

Auction terms and conditions