拍品專文
Edward Weld (1741-1775) was the eldest son of Edward Weld of Lulworth Castle, Dorset, whom he succeeded in 1761; his mother Mary Theresa was the daughter of John Vaughan of Courtfield. Weld's family were prominent Catholics and his sister Mary became a nun of the Order of Poor Clares at Aire in Artois. Weld's Grand Tour is tantalisingly undocumented but a letter addressed to him at Lulworth of 25 May 1763 from Charles Wiseman, establishes that he had been at Rome at the same time as a Mr. Fermor, presumably William Fermor of Tusmore (1737-1806), also a Catholic, whose portrait of 1758 by Batoni is at Houston (A. M. Clark, Pompeo Batoni, ed. E. P. Bowron, 1985, no.205). Wiseman's letter establishes that Weld was interested in music, and the fact that it is in Italian implies that he could read that language. This portrait is presumably of 1760-2, and is one of relatively few commissioned from the artist by members of English Catholic families. Apart from that of Fermor, these include the 'Sir John Courtenay
Throckmorton, Bt.' at Coughton (Bowron, no.351) and the 'Peter Thomas Giffard' and 'Peter Giffard' at Chillington (Bowron, nos.320 and 450). There is an obvious pentimento in the enamel snuff box, which was presumably included at the sitter's request, as the motif does not occur in any other portrait by Batoni.
In 1763 Weld married Juliana, daughter of Robert, 8th Lord Petre; in 1775, after her death, he married Mary Anne, youngest daughter of Walter Smythe of Brambridge, Hampshire. Weld died without issue in the same year and was succeeded at Lulworth by his only surviving brother, Thomas, who was the founder of the Catholic College at Stonyhurst. Weld's widow married Thomas Fitzherbert of Swinnerton in 1778; he died in 1781, and four years later Mrs. Fitzherbert met the impressionable George, Prince of Wales, six years her junior. Their marriage on
21 December 1783 was invalid under the terms of the Marriage Act of 1772, but nonetheless for nearly twenty years Mrs. Fitzherbert was treated as his wife by the Prince
Throckmorton, Bt.' at Coughton (Bowron, no.351) and the 'Peter Thomas Giffard' and 'Peter Giffard' at Chillington (Bowron, nos.320 and 450). There is an obvious pentimento in the enamel snuff box, which was presumably included at the sitter's request, as the motif does not occur in any other portrait by Batoni.
In 1763 Weld married Juliana, daughter of Robert, 8th Lord Petre; in 1775, after her death, he married Mary Anne, youngest daughter of Walter Smythe of Brambridge, Hampshire. Weld died without issue in the same year and was succeeded at Lulworth by his only surviving brother, Thomas, who was the founder of the Catholic College at Stonyhurst. Weld's widow married Thomas Fitzherbert of Swinnerton in 1778; he died in 1781, and four years later Mrs. Fitzherbert met the impressionable George, Prince of Wales, six years her junior. Their marriage on
21 December 1783 was invalid under the terms of the Marriage Act of 1772, but nonetheless for nearly twenty years Mrs. Fitzherbert was treated as his wife by the Prince