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Lot Essay
The Mohun family was established in England at the Conquest, when Sir William Mohun (d. after 1090) was rewarded for services rendered at the battle of Hastings with the castle of Dunster, fifty manors in Somerset and lordships in Wiltshire, Devonshire and Warwickshire. The name Mohun relates to the family's seat before the Conquest, at Moion, near St. Lo in Normandy.
The sitter, Sir Reginald Mohun, of Hall and Boconnoc, Cornwall, son and heir of Sir William Mohun (d.1587), of the same, and his first wife Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir John Horsey, was descended from a younger son of John de Mohun (d.1330), seventh in lineal descent from (the first) Sir William Mohun. Sir Reginald succeeded his father in 1587 at the age of twenty-three. He was knighted in 1599 and created a baronet by King James I in 1611. He was M.P. for both East Looe (1614) and Lostwithiel (1625).
Sir Reginald married three times, first to Mary, daughter of Sir Henry Killigrew, in 1589, and second to Phillipa, daughter of John Herle, in 1593. He is shown here with his third wife, Dorothy, daughter of John Chudleigh (1564-1589), of Ashton, Devon, and sister of Sir George Chudleigh, first Baronet (1622). John Chudleigh was an associate of Sir Walter Ralegh (1554-1618). Chudleigh was commended for valour at sea during the Armada campaign of 1588 and died during an attempted expedition to raid the treasure port of Peru the following year. It is not known when Sir Reginald's second wife died, but he and Dorothy were married by 1604, for their first child, Reginald, was born in 1605.
This double portrait is an early example of a marriage portrait. The rose held by Lady Mohun is a symbol of marriage, while the joint arms of Mohun (a cross engrailed Sable) and Chudleigh (Ermine three lions rampant gules), in the upper centre, celebrates the union of these families.
The couple are lavishly dressed: he in a richly embroidered jerkin; she in a black dress ornamented with gold stitching and lace rosettes secured with enamelled buttons. In addition, a magnificent sixteenth century brooch, adorned with emerald, ruby and diamond stones, and enamelling, with a leaping hart at its centre and the moto 'UNA SALUS' (salvation/hope alone), hangs from Lady Mohun's left sleeve; and an eyeglass on an enamelled chain is suspended from her waist. Lady Mohun's headdress is like that worn by Anne of Denmark (1574-1619) around this date.
Sir Reginald was succeeded by his son from his second marriage, John (c.1592-1641), first Baron Mohun, of Oakhampton, Devon, who was a leading royalist commander in Cornwall.
This magnificent portrait is likely to have hung at the family seat of Boconnoc, near Lostwithiel. The estate and house of Boconnoc can be traced back to the Normans. It was acquired from Lord Russell, Earl of Bedford by Sir Reginald's father in 1579, who set about rebuilding it. The estate was later purchased by Thomas Pitt, grandfather of William Pitt, Prime Minister, with the money raised from the famous Pitt diamond, which was sold to the Regent of France and eventually incorporated into the hilt of Napoleon's sword.
The precise early provenance of this portrait is unclear. It was in the possession of the Wyndham family and came into the Dunraven family through the marriage of Miss Carolyn Wyndham, daughter and sole heiress of Thomas Wyndham, of Dunraven Castle, Glamorgan, to Windham Henry, 2nd Earl of Dunraven, son and heir of Valentine Richard Quin, 1st Earl of Dunraven, in 1810. The Mohun portrait hung at Adare Manor, Limerick, seat of the Earls of Dunraven, which was built in c.1730 by Valentine Quin, great-grandfather to the 2nd Earl of Dunraven, and restored and redecorated by the 2nd Earl and his wife.
The sitter, Sir Reginald Mohun, of Hall and Boconnoc, Cornwall, son and heir of Sir William Mohun (d.1587), of the same, and his first wife Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir John Horsey, was descended from a younger son of John de Mohun (d.1330), seventh in lineal descent from (the first) Sir William Mohun. Sir Reginald succeeded his father in 1587 at the age of twenty-three. He was knighted in 1599 and created a baronet by King James I in 1611. He was M.P. for both East Looe (1614) and Lostwithiel (1625).
Sir Reginald married three times, first to Mary, daughter of Sir Henry Killigrew, in 1589, and second to Phillipa, daughter of John Herle, in 1593. He is shown here with his third wife, Dorothy, daughter of John Chudleigh (1564-1589), of Ashton, Devon, and sister of Sir George Chudleigh, first Baronet (1622). John Chudleigh was an associate of Sir Walter Ralegh (1554-1618). Chudleigh was commended for valour at sea during the Armada campaign of 1588 and died during an attempted expedition to raid the treasure port of Peru the following year. It is not known when Sir Reginald's second wife died, but he and Dorothy were married by 1604, for their first child, Reginald, was born in 1605.
This double portrait is an early example of a marriage portrait. The rose held by Lady Mohun is a symbol of marriage, while the joint arms of Mohun (a cross engrailed Sable) and Chudleigh (Ermine three lions rampant gules), in the upper centre, celebrates the union of these families.
The couple are lavishly dressed: he in a richly embroidered jerkin; she in a black dress ornamented with gold stitching and lace rosettes secured with enamelled buttons. In addition, a magnificent sixteenth century brooch, adorned with emerald, ruby and diamond stones, and enamelling, with a leaping hart at its centre and the moto 'UNA SALUS' (salvation/hope alone), hangs from Lady Mohun's left sleeve; and an eyeglass on an enamelled chain is suspended from her waist. Lady Mohun's headdress is like that worn by Anne of Denmark (1574-1619) around this date.
Sir Reginald was succeeded by his son from his second marriage, John (c.1592-1641), first Baron Mohun, of Oakhampton, Devon, who was a leading royalist commander in Cornwall.
This magnificent portrait is likely to have hung at the family seat of Boconnoc, near Lostwithiel. The estate and house of Boconnoc can be traced back to the Normans. It was acquired from Lord Russell, Earl of Bedford by Sir Reginald's father in 1579, who set about rebuilding it. The estate was later purchased by Thomas Pitt, grandfather of William Pitt, Prime Minister, with the money raised from the famous Pitt diamond, which was sold to the Regent of France and eventually incorporated into the hilt of Napoleon's sword.
The precise early provenance of this portrait is unclear. It was in the possession of the Wyndham family and came into the Dunraven family through the marriage of Miss Carolyn Wyndham, daughter and sole heiress of Thomas Wyndham, of Dunraven Castle, Glamorgan, to Windham Henry, 2nd Earl of Dunraven, son and heir of Valentine Richard Quin, 1st Earl of Dunraven, in 1810. The Mohun portrait hung at Adare Manor, Limerick, seat of the Earls of Dunraven, which was built in c.1730 by Valentine Quin, great-grandfather to the 2nd Earl of Dunraven, and restored and redecorated by the 2nd Earl and his wife.
