Strong: Sir Edmund Anderson (1530-1605)

Extract from an out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue, Roy Strong, Tudor & Jacobean Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1969, pp. 3-4. Footnotes in the original text are given within square brackets. Subject to funding, it is hoped to make the full text of this catalogue available online.

Sir Edmund Anderson (1530-1605)
Judge; educated at Lincoln College, Oxford; studied at Inner Temple, 1550; reader at his Inn of Court, 1567; double reader at Inner Temple, 1574; Serjeant-at-law, 1577; Serjeant-at-law to the Queen, 1579; knighted and made Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas, 1582; took part in trial of Babington, of Secretary Davison, and of Mary Queen of Scots, 1586, and in the trials of Perrot (1590), Earl of Essex (1601) and Raleigh (1603); showed great severity towards Puritans, and notably John Udall.

2148 by an unknown artist, circa 1590-1600
Oil on panel, 35 3/4 x 29 1/2 in. (908 x 749 mm), three-quarter length standing slightly to the right; his right hand holding gloves at his side, his left thumb tucked into his black waist cord; greying black hair, beard and moustache; he wears a white coif, black skull-cap and bonnet, white ruff and judge' s robes; plain brown background; lit from the front.

Formerly on the back the Christie stencil: 539 ESK.

Condition: the back of the panel has been cradled, which has caused further splits; discoloured varnish; probably extensively repainted in the dress and background.

Collections: Mrs A.J. Webbe; sold anonymously Christie' s, 25 March 1927, lot 38.

A good version of the portrait type of Anderson discussed below.

456 in the manner of George Perfect Harding, early 19th century
Watercolour on white paper, 9 1/8 x 8 1/8 in. (232 x 206 mm), head and shoulders slightly to the right, brown eyes turned towards the spectator; almost grey moustache and beard; he wears a black skull-cap and bonnet; small white ruff; judge's robes; grey background; lit from the left.

Collections: one of the Serjeants' Inn portraits, presented by the Hon. Society of Judges and Serjeants-at-Law, 1877.

Early 19th century copy, probably of the portrait of Brocklesby Park listed in the Iconography.

Iconography
The iconography of Anderson is a meagre one. All the portraits are of the same type and date, circa 1590-1600. Two identical versions are NPG 2148 and in the Inner Temple (presented by Sir James Anderson, 1871, presumably descending within the family; probably transferred from panel) [Catalogue of the Paintings… belonging to… the Inner Temple, London, 1915, opp. p.4]. A copy on canvas is at Brocklesby Park (Earl of Yarborough), and also a contemporary head and shoulders version on panel. The Earls of Yarborough descend from Judge Anderson through Francis Anderson, grandfather of the 1st Baron, and great-great-grandson of the Judge. The type was engraved by Faithorne.

He also appears in the group portrait of Lord Burghley presiding over the Court of Wards and Liveries (Duke of Richmond, Goodwood).