King William III

This portraitback to top

A slightly reduced version of the half-length portrait by Johnson at Knole which is signed and dated 1657. [1] A whole-length version is in the Royal Collection [2] and a three-quarters in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (F.706). [3] Bust-length versions within a painted oval are in the National Gallery of Ireland (291), [4] the Yale Center for British Art (B1976.7.14; dated 1657), [5] with the Duke of Abercorn, [6] and at Eastnor Castle (dated 1658). [7]

Footnotesback to top

1) C. J. Phillips, History of the Sackville Family, 1929, II, p 444; illus. William & Mary, Arts Council, 1950, no.17, pl.v; A. Staring, ‘De Portretten van den Koning-Stadhouder’, Nederlandsch. Kunsthistorisch. Jaarboek, III, 1951, pl.4.
2) O. Millar, The Tudor, Stuart and Early Georgian Pictures in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, 1963, no.132, pl.97.
3) Ashmolean, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p 119; A. Macgregor, Tradescant Rarities, 1983, p 310, no.279, pl.cxlix.
4) From Wimpole; Earl of Hardwicke sale, Christie’s, 30 June 1888, lot 59.
5) Probably that sold Christie’s, 7 December 1933, lot 33 from the collection of Lord Howe; previously exhibited Second Special Exhibition of National Portraits ( ... William and Mary to MDCCC), South Kensington, 1867, no.3.
6) Illus. Kings in Conflict, Belfast, 1990, no.6.
7) Listed in Eastnor Castle, Hesketh archives typescript, 1889, p 23; exhibited Art Treasures of the Midlands, Birmingham, 1934, no.118, lent Lord Somers.

Referenceback to top

Finberg 1922
A. Finberg, Wal. Soc., X, 1922, p 37, no.112

Piper 1963
D. Piper, Catalogue of the Seventeenth Century Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery 1625-1714, 1963, p 377.

Staring 1951
A. Staring, ‘De Portretten van den Koning-Stadhouder’, Nederlandsch. Kunsthistorisch. Jaarboek, III, 1950-51, pp 163-64.

Provenanceback to top

Henry Graves, from whom purchased 1868.

Exhibitionsback to top

Fantastic Fancies, Kensington Palace, 1988.


This extended catalogue entry is from the National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Ingamells, National Portrait Gallery: Later Stuart Portraits 1685–1714, National Portrait Gallery, 2009, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

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