John Plott
Portrait enamel of Charles I (1600-1649), King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1625-1649), wearing breast plate and studded pauldrons, gold collar with badge of the Order of the Garter, white chemise with van Dyke collar, his loosely curling hair falling to his shoulders
The Limner Company : Portrait Miniature
Medium Enamel
Dimension 6.5 x 5.5 cm (2¹/₂ x 2¹/₈ inches)
The present lot is based upon Van Dyck's full-scale oil portraits of the king (c.1638) that reside in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg and at Althorp (Catalogue of the Pictures at Althorp House in the County of Northampton, p.27, no.340). It was therefore likely commissioned by George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (given the dates of Plott's artistic career).
The 2nd Earl Spencer appears to have held special regard for the paintings of Anthony van Dyck, dressing in typical 'van-dyckian' dress for his 1774-76 portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Medium: Enamel
Dimension: 6.5 x 5.5 cm (2¹/₂ x 2¹/₈ inches)
Provenance: Probably commissioned by George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, KG, PC, DL, FRS, FSA (1758-1834), styled Viscount Althorp from 1765 to 1783, thence by descent;
John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer KG, PC (1835–1910);
Bonhams, 21 Nov 2012, lot 8;
Private Collection, UK.
Literature: D. Foskett, Miniatures Dictionary and Guide, London, 1987, p.620.
Exhibition: South Kensington Museum, 1865, no.943 (loaned by by John Poyntz, 5th Earl Spencer)
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