ENGLISH SCHOOL (17th century)
The Head of a Lady, traditionally identified as Barbara Villiers, 1st Duchess of Cleveland (1640-1709); circa 1680
Black lead and ink on laid paper
Stained black wood frame
Rectangular, 126mm (5in) high
£4,000
The unfinished nature of the drawing would have been much appreciated in this period as an insight into the artist’s creative processes. In an intimate portrait, such as this, might have made the recipient feel closer to the sitter - the artist’s concentration on the face focusing attention on the sitter’s expression as she looks directly out of the portrait. Evidence shows that there was considerable interest in obtaining examples of the miniaturist Samuel Cooper’s unfinished work after his death in 1672. Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, who had been painted by Cooper in 1669, opened negotiations for the purchase of the sketches belonging to Mrs Cooper in 1674 but declined to buy, because of the price. A sketch by Cooper of Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland c. 1660-61, was described in 1683 by Francesco Terriesi, an agent acting for Cosimo III de’ Medici, as ‘Duchess of Cleveland, face and head finished and beautiful, but nothing else’ and was priced at £30, slightly lower than the £50 demanded for other sketches from the same group.
Traditionally, this drawing has been identified as Barbara Villiers, 1st Duchess of Cleveland. Villiers achieved fame as the mistress to King Charles II (1630-1685). Her influence remained throughout the 1660s, until in 1671 Louise de Keroualle caught the eye of the King and she replaced Villiers as his principal mistress. However, a facial comparison to other known portraits of Villiers confirms that the present is unlikely to represent her, but closely conforms to the ideals of beauty in this period.
The excellent condition of the present work suggests that it too may have come from an artist’sstudio or preserved in a folio.
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