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Lot Essay
This watercolour was previously attributed to George Vertue (1684-1756). A watercolour by Vertue after a larger oil painting by Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) of Sir Kenelm Digby with his wife and children was sold at Sotheby's London, 11 July 1996, lot 42 (8,625); while another of The Royal Progress of Queen Elizabeth was sold 19 November 1987, lot 41 (20,350).
Like Vertue, Harding executed a number of copies in miniature of earlier portraits, many of which he exhibited at the Royal Academy 1802-1840. Between 1840-1843 Harding was involved in the Granger society which published previously unengraved historical portraits. When the society collapsed he continued the project on his own account, publishing fifteen of them.
On 25 May 1965, Christie's London sold a collection of miniature portrait replicas by G.P Harding, from the Northwick Park collection, the property of the late Captain E.G. Spencer-Churchill, M.C. This collection included another slightly smaller copy by Harding, dated 1813, of the central figures in the original Antonio Mor painting of which the present watercolour is a copy. The original painting by Mor is at Woburn Abbey.
Like Vertue, Harding executed a number of copies in miniature of earlier portraits, many of which he exhibited at the Royal Academy 1802-1840. Between 1840-1843 Harding was involved in the Granger society which published previously unengraved historical portraits. When the society collapsed he continued the project on his own account, publishing fifteen of them.
On 25 May 1965, Christie's London sold a collection of miniature portrait replicas by G.P Harding, from the Northwick Park collection, the property of the late Captain E.G. Spencer-Churchill, M.C. This collection included another slightly smaller copy by Harding, dated 1813, of the central figures in the original Antonio Mor painting of which the present watercolour is a copy. The original painting by Mor is at Woburn Abbey.