Venetia, Lady Digby (née Stanley) (1600-33), wearing an embroidered orange and gold dress, with ‘saffron’ lace ruff and earrings, her long wavy hair falling to her shoulders

PETER OLIVER (c.1594-1647)

Venetia, Lady Digby (née Stanley) (1600-33), wearing an embroidered orange and gold dress, with ‘saffron’ lace ruff and earrings, her long wavy hair falling to her shoulders

Circa 1615-1620
Watercolour on parchment
Signed with initials PO
55 mm (2 ¹/₈ inches) high

SOLD

'Venetia had become wrapped up in salacious rumours relating to her and other members of the Stuart court. It seems that her beauty had led people to believe that she had multiple lovers, including Sir Edmund Wyld and the Brothers Richard and Edmund Sackville'

This portrait of Jacobean beauty Venetia, Lady Digby, dates from the time at which she was first introduced to the Stuart Court. Her identity can be confirmed given the similarity between this portrait and another by Peter Oliver that can be found in the Burghley House collection [1]. At this point, she was still Venetia Stanley, and had been brought up as a Roman Catholic. In her youth she had been introduced to Sir Kenelm Digby, who became her childhood sweetheart. Though the two were infatuated, their romance was not looked upon highly by either of their parents. In fact, Digby’s mother is known to have intercepted his letters to Venetia while he was away in Europe, to convince her that he had died.

Before she would see Digby again, Venetia had become wrapped up in salacious rumours relating to her and other members of the Stuart court. It seems that her beauty had led people to believe that she had multiple lovers, including Sir Edmund Wyld and the Brothers Richard and Edmund Sackville (who would later become the 3rd and 4th Earls of Dorset respectively). These rumours went so far that a later commentator, John Aubrey (1626-97) reported that a sign reading ‘PRAY COME NOT NEER,/ FOR DAME VENETIA STANLEY LODGETH HERE’ [2] was placed above her bedroom door.

In 1624, Digby returned from Europe, and he and Venetia married in secret, so as to avoid the disapproval of their parents. It is thought that their marriage was devoted, though Venetia had struggled throughout six childbirths, which Digby himself had described as being ‘exceeding painful and dangerous’ [3]. This devotion was marked following Venetia’s sudden death at the age of 33, the day of which Digby commissioned Van Dyck to paint a portrait of his wife on her deathbed, which can now be found in the Dulwich Picture Gallery [4].

As the son of Isaac Oliver, Peter Oliver had been taught how to limne by a great master of the art, and this is certainly clear in the present example. His style was extremely close to that of his father’s and often the differences between the works of the two are difficult to decipher. Aside from his connections to his father, he enjoyed a successful career under the patronage of Charles I, Prince of Wales. It was under Charles that he had gained the responsibility for painting copies of Italian Paintings entering the Royal Collection which were highly valued. [5] Peter inherited his father’s drawings, miniatures and materials, as well as his position at court serving Charles as both Prince of Wales and eventually, King of England.

[1] Burghley House Collections, MIN0019.
[2] A.Clark (ed.), ‘Brief Lives’, Chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the years 1669 & 1696 (2 Vols., Oxford, 1898), pp. 229-30.
[3] A.Clark (ed.), ‘Brief Lives’, Chiefly of Contemporaries, set down by John Aubrey, between the years 1669 & 1696 (2 Vols., Oxford, 1898), pp. 229-30.
[4]  Dulwich Picture Gallery, DPG194.
[5] Peter completed his father Isaac’s great unfinished work of The Entombment for Charles.

Sotheby’s, London, Ex Collection of the Late Rt. Hon Sir Guy Fleetwood Wilson P.C G.C.I.E. K.C., 9 November 1944;
M. Papier Collection.

E. Rutherford et. al., Jewel in the Hand: Early Portrait Miniatures from Noble & Private Collections, Philip Mould & Company, London, 2019, pp.72-73, illustrated pp.70-71.

London, Philip Mould & Company, Jewel in the Hand: Early Portrait Miniatures from Noble & Private Collections, 12 March - 18 April 2019, no. 16.

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Some stock items contain materials from endangered species which are governed by CITES regulations and will require a permit to export outside of Great Britain. If a certificate of export is required then this will be the responsibility of and paid for by the buyer .

PETER OLIVER

(c.1594-1647)

Venetia, Lady Digby (née Stanley) (1600-33), wearing an embroidered orange and gold dress, with ‘saffron’ lace ruff and earrings, her long wavy hair falling to her shoulders

shipping notice

The item added to cart contains materials from endangered or protected species. The Limner Company cannot arrange for the delivery of artworks containing ivory, tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl outside of the UK due to import restrictions. The buyer or designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale.

You are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of any items made from or containing certain endangered or protected species (such as ivory, tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl), while other countries will require a permit (e.g. a CITES licence). Such permits must be obtained from the relevant regulatory body in both the country of importation and exportation. If you intend to import such items into another country you should familiarise yourself with the relevant customs regulations and laws before purchase. Delays or refusal of import or export of such works shall not permit cancellation of a sale. It is your responsibility to satisfy any laws or regulations applying to the import or export of any work containing such protected species. For further information on the protected species listed please visit the CITES website:http://www.cites.org/. For further information about import and export regulations please visit:http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/imports-exports/cites/. On request, the Company can assist with or apply for a license on your behalf.

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shipping TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Worldwide shipping is included in all prices.

The Limner Company does not accept any responsibility for import duty, this is to be paid by the buyer.

See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations. Please contact us to discuss shipping options. Some stock items contain materials from endangered species which are governed by CITES regulations and will require a permit to export outside of Great Britain. If a certificate of export is required then this will be the responsibility of and paid for by the buyer.

See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations.

Please contact us to discuss shipping options.