The Gallery holds the most extensive collection of portraits in the world. Search over 215,000 works, 150,000 of which are illustrated from the 16th Century to the present day.

Advanced Collection search

The Children of John Taylor of Bifrons Park

Identify sitters

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Buy a print Make a donation
  • Buy a print
  • Use this image
  • ShareShare this

The Children of John Taylor of Bifrons Park

by John Closterman
oil on canvas, 1696
74 3/4 in. x 107 in. (1898 mm x 2718 mm)
Purchased, 1980
Primary Collection
NPG 5320

Artistback to top

Sittersback to top

This portraitback to top

In this great Baroque portrait, the artist has taken the Taylor family's motto 'Fame is sweeter than the white rose' as his organising motif. The oldest child Mary, seated centrally, holding a cornucopia of flowers, extends a white rose to her brother Nathaniel. The toddler below Nathaniel is Bridges; he offers a rose to the youngest child, Upton, who is supported by his brother John. On the left side, Olive and Margaret crown their brother Brook with laurel. Brook, who later became a distinguished mathematician, holds a recorder that symbolises family harmony.

Linked publicationsback to top

  • The British Portrait, 1660-1960, 1991, p. 123 number 113
  • Ingamells, John, Later Stuart Portraits 1685-1714, 2009, p. 281
  • Rogers, Malcolm, Master Drawings from the National Portrait Gallery, 1993 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 5 August to 23 October 1994), p. 32
  • Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 723
  • Wilton, Andrew, The swagger portrait : grand manner portraiture in Britain from Van Dyck to Augustus John, 1630-1930, 1992, p. [105]

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1696back to top

Current affairs

HMS Sovereign of the Seas is accidentally destroyed by fire at Chatham.
Window Duty, based upon the number of windows in a house, is levied by Parliament to support William III's war with France.
The Great Recoinage attempts to replace coins in circulation made up of hammered silver.

Art and science

Recently ordained, Jonathan Swift writes his first book, A Tale of a Tub, which includes an allegory of three brothers representing the principal divisions of Western Christianity.
Architect and playwright, John Vanbrugh's hugely successful comedy, The Relapse, is staged at the Drury Lane Theatre.

International

After several years of secret negotiations forged by William III with Louis XIV, king of France, to end the Nine Years' War, envoys from both sides unofficially begin serious talks.
Economic depression in Holland leads to riots in Amsterdam.

Tell us more back to top

Can you tell us more about this portrait? Spotted an error, information that is missing (a sitter’s life dates, occupation or family relationships, or a date of portrait for example) or do you know anything that we don't know? If you have information to share please complete the form below.

If you require information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service. You can buy a print of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at £6 for unframed prints, £25 for framed prints. If you wish to license this image, please use our Rights and Images service.

Please note that we cannot provide valuations.

We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

Duncan Melville

25 September 2015, 20:35

Where is Septimus? bapt. 1691. How secure is the date?

What can you tell us?close

There are occasions when we are unsure of the identity of a sitter or artist, their life dates, occupation or have not recorded their family relationships. Sometimes we have not recorded the date of a portrait. Do you have specialist knowledge or a particular interest about any aspect of the portrait or sitter or artist that you can share with us? We would welcome any information that adds to and enhances our information and understanding about a particular portrait, sitter or artist.

Citationclose

How do you know this? Please could you let us know your source of information.

* Permission to publish (Privacy information)
Privacy Informationclose

The National Portrait Gallery will NOT use your information to contact you or store for any other purpose than to investigate or display your contribution. By ticking permission to publish you are indicating your agreement for your contribution to be shown on this collection item page. Please note your email address will not be displayed on the page nor will it be used for any marketing material or promotion of any kind.

Please ensure your comments are relevant and appropriate. Your contributions must be polite and with no intention of causing trouble. All contributions are moderated.

Your Emailclose

Contributions are moderated. We'll need your email address so that we can follow up on the information provided and contact you to let you know when your contribution has been published.