Beschreibung:

Property from the Berkeley Collection at Spetchley ParkStudio of John Riley1646 - 1691Portrait of King Charles II
oil on canvas, in a painted ovalunframed: 77.4 x 64.2 cm.; 30½ x 25¼ in.framed: 94 x 81.3 cm.; 37 x 32 in. Condition reportThe canvas is lined and the paint surface is stable. The painting is covered in a slightly discoloured matte varnish. Some of the original impasto is preserved in the lace of neck scarf and on the armour reflections. There are minor abrasions in the upper left, centre and bottom right borders corresponding with the frame edges. Some retouchings are visible along the painted oval on the left and on the fringe decoration on the armour on his chest. Inspection under ultraviolet light confirms the aforementioned retouchings and reveals further ones at in the bottom right corner and on the King's wig. Overall the painting presents well. Offered in a carved wood frame
Please note that Condition 12 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colors and shades which are different to the lot's actual color and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation. The condition report is a statement of opinion only. For that reason, the condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ONLINE CONDITION REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE/BUSINESS APPLICABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE SALE.ProvenanceRobert George Berkeley (1898-1969), Spetchley Park;
Thence by descent to the present owner.LiteratureInventory and Valuation of the furniture and effects at Spetchley Park, Worcester, The Property of R.G. Berkeley, Esquire, December 1949, listed in the 'Front Hall', p. 116 (as Unknown).Catalogue noteThis is one of a number of versions of a portrait type painted in Riley’s studio, known in both three-quarter and half-length variants and other examples include the one in the National Portrait Gallery, London,1 and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.2 John Riley studied under Isaac Fuller and Gerard Soest; from the latter he learned a forcible, straightforward style of portraiture. Riley came to prominence in the latter years of Charles II’s reign, following the death of Sir Peter Lely in 1680. He was introduced to Royal patronage by the courtier Thomas Chiffinch and the King commissioned him for a number of pictures, before eventually sitting to Riley himself. Charles, who was possibly more accustomed to the flattering style of Lely, is said to have exclaimed upon seeing the portrait: ‘Is this like me? Oddsfish, then I’m an ugly fellow!’. During the following reign, in 1689, together with Godfrey Kneller Riley was appointed Principal Painter to King William III and Queen Mary, though there are no known portraits by him of either as sovereign.
1 https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw01239/King-Charles-II2 https://collections.ashmolean.org/collection/search/per_page/100/offset/0/sort_by/relevance/object/44950