James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos

Inscriptionback to top

On the back of a board attached to the old stretcher: VERA EFFIGIESI OPTIMI
VIRI JACBI BRIDGES DVCIS CHANDOS/QUAM, OB SVMMA EJUS IN REMPVBLICAM LITERARIAM/MERITA, MVLTA IN LITERATOS SVI TEMPORIS BENEFICIA/HOC IN PVBLICO REPOSITORIO, PERPETVO, VT SPERAT/FVTVRO LOCVM TENERE VOLVIT JACOBVS FARQVARSON/PREDICT DVCI A SECRETIS/APRIL I. 1762. [1]

1) (Sic) Sir George Scharf, Historical and Descriptive Catalogue of the Pictures, Busts & etc. in the National Portrait Gallery, new and enlarged edition, 1888, p 95.

This portraitback to top

Previously given to Michael Dahl mainly due to the similarity of the head in Simon's mezzotint after this artist. In the light of recent knowledge, however, an attribution to Van der Myn seems more reasonable especially when comparing NPG 530 with his portraits of John Hart, signed and dated 1732, which was at Christie's, 18 July 1941, lot 10; the Thoroton double portrait signed and dated 1731, collection M. Hildyard, 1953, and the 'Unknown Gentleman' last at Christie's, 5 December 1952, lot 122, signed and dated 1729. The last named might almost represent the same sitter as NPG 530. Van Gool saw in London a life-size double portrait by Van der Myn of the Duke and Duchess, the Duchess painting the portrait of her husband in a painting room. [1] The right-hand portion is lost; our very unusual portrait is all that remains of it. [2] Hence NPG 530 is also the portrait seen by Horace Walpole at Cannons, 1744: 'there is an admirable immense picture of her, [the Duchess] drawing the Duke's portrait by one Vandernime [sic]. He is in a Roman habit with buskins and cerulean stockings.' [3] A portrait of the ‘Duke & Dulchess of Chandos by Vandermyne’ is recorded in an inventory of Cannons dated 1725. [4]

Footnotesback to top

1) J. van Gool, Nieuwe Schouburg der Nederlantsche Kunstschilders en Schilderessen, 1751, II, pp 41-2, 44-5.
2) Piper's suggestion, c.1950 (see Conservation).
3) The Letters of Horace Walpole, ed. Mrs P. Toynbee, 1903-25, Supplement III, 1925, p 365, and note 17.
4) C. H. Collins Baker & M. I. Baker, The Life and Circumstances of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, 1949, p 164.

Physical descriptionback to top

Very dark brown eyes, long greyish wig; white neck-cloth loosely tied, bluish-grey dress highly ornamented and fastened with jewels, gold embroidery, crimson mantle faced with ermine draped about arms and shoulders, blue silk hose and calf-length boots; a ducal coronet by his side, left, and a bowl of fruit at his feet; to the right, part of an easel with canvas on it; bottom right, a blue shoe embroidered with gold visible beneath grey cloth, lit from the left.

Conservationback to top

Badly damaged, 1941, by enemy action while on loan to the House of Lords; relined, 1955, when a large tear to the right of the head was repaired and losses across the canvas through the waist, stopped, but not then touched in; cleaned, 1975, repaints removed, revealing the Duchess' easel, foot and brush.

Provenanceback to top

Transferred, 1879, from the British Museum to whom presented by James Farquharson, 1762, secretary to Chandos c.1728-44, and a beneficiary under his will.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: John Kerslake, Early Georgian Portraits, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1977, 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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