CIRCLE OF MICHAEL DAHL (SWEDISH, 1659-1743)

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The Sunday Sale Property of the Smith-Barry Estates, removed from the Old Priory, Woodchester, Gloucestershire (Lots 1-25) and The Property of St. Mary's University College, removed from Strawberry Hill, Twickenham (Lots 26-92) The Smith-Barry Family The Barry family line can trace its lineage as far back as Philip de Barri who was granted extensive land in Southern County Cork by King Henry II, in 1177 following the Norman Invasion, which included the whole of Fota Island. The original seat of the Barry family dates back to a Royal Charter of 1206 and is located to the North East of Fota Island. De Barri's land extended north to Buttevant and as far east as Castlelyons where the Barry family mausoleum was built alongside the Catholic Abbey. David Barry (1604-1642) 6th Viscount Barry, second child of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (1566-1643) was created 1st Earl of Barrymore in the Peerage of Ireland in 1627 (see lot 3). Following the death of the 8th Earl in 1824, who died without issue, the title became extinct. Lt. Gen. James Barry, 4th Earl of Barrymore (1667-1747) fought with William of Orange and succeeded to the title of 4th Earl of Barrymore in 1699 (see lot 4). He married as his second wife, Elizabeth Savage, daughter of Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers, through whom Marbury Hall in Cheshire came into the possession of the family (see lot 13). The family took the name Smith-Barry on the marriage of the second son of the the 4th Earl and his third wife Lady Anne Chichester, the Hon. John Barry (b.1725) to Dorothy Smith (1727-1756) in 1746. Dorothy was the daughter and heiress of Hugh Smith of Essex (1672-1745) (see lot 1), which brought yet further land in Tipperary, Louth and Huntingdonshire into the Smith-Barry family. Richard Barry, 7th Earl of Barrymore died in 1793 without issue, and the estate at Marbury then passed to his cousin, James Hugh Smith-Barry (1748-1837). The latter's illegitimate son, John Smith-Barry (1793-1837) was responsible for returning to County Cork and extending what was then a modest family hunting lodge into the elegant Regency House that now stands at Fota. He employed the architects Sir Richard Morrison and his son William Vitruvius Morrison to extend the house, adding two additional wings, the Doric portico and aggrandising the interior. Fota House remained in the Smith-Barry family until the death of the last male Smith-Barry, Sir Arthur Hugh Smith-Barry (1843-1925) (see lot 15). The estate was later sold upon the death of his daughter Dorothy, wife of Major Bell, in 1975. In December 2007, Fota House was acquired by the Irish Heritage Trust.

Details

CIRCLE OF MICHAEL DAHL (SWEDISH, 1659-1743)
Portrait of a gentleman, traditionally identified as Hugh Smith of Weald Hall, Sheriff of Essex (1672-1745), half-length, in a blue velvet coat with gold frogging, and a white cravat in a feigned oval; and Portrait of a lady, traditionally identified as Mrs. Dorothy Smith neé Barrett-Lennard, half length, in a pale lilac dress, in a feigned oval
with inscriptions 'Hugh Smith of Weald Hall father of Dorothy S Barry' and 'Honble Mrs Smith mother of Dorothy S Barry' (on labels on the reverse)
oil on canvas
29¾ X 24¾ in. (75.6 x 60.8 cm.)
a pair, each with inscription 'B254' (on the stretcher) (2)

Provenance

The Hon. John Smith-Barry (b.1725), Marbury Hall, Cheshire, and Fota House, Fota Island, County Cork, Ireland (presumably collection number 254) and then by descent through Sir Arthur Hugh Smith-Barry (1843-1925).
The Old Priory, Woodchester, Gloucestershire.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

Hugh Smith (1672-1745), Sheriff of Essex, was resident at Weald Hall, Essex between 1732 and 1745. His daughter, Dorothy Smith (1727-1756) (see lot 2) married John Barry (b.1725) in 1746 beginning the Smith-Barry line.

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