拍品專文
James, Duke of York was the father of Prince James Francis Stuart, The Old Pretender.
This portrait relates to a full-length of James, Duke of York as Lord High Admiral (National Maritime Museum, Greenwich), in which the Duke is anachronistically depicted in Roman military costume, possibly to commemorate his command of the Anglo-French fleet during the battles of the Third Dutch War of 1673.
Gascars was the protege of Charles II's sister, Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans. He left Paris for England in March 1672 and Vertue mentions that he came under the patronage of the Duchess of Portsmouth. The patronage of the Duchess, together with his close links with the French court and Louis XIV have given rise to suggestion that Gascars was a French agent.
This continental and Catholic link was to form a raft for the Jacobites in years to come, making this a portentous combination of artist and sitter. Gascars' patrons were typically Catholic, Stuart supporters who returned from exile to England with the court of the Restoration, such as Tyroconnel, Richmond etc. It was in this international climate that French painters such as Gascars with their love of "Embroidery, fine Cloaths, lac'd Drapery, and a great Variety of Trumpery Ornaments", thrived.
Gascars left England shortly after Princess Mary had married the Prince of Orange - and Louis XIV in consequence ceased payments to him. He is next found in 1678 painting the Commissioners for the Peace Treaty at Nijmegen, which adds credence to the theory of his role as a French agent.
This portrait relates to a full-length of James, Duke of York as Lord High Admiral (National Maritime Museum, Greenwich), in which the Duke is anachronistically depicted in Roman military costume, possibly to commemorate his command of the Anglo-French fleet during the battles of the Third Dutch War of 1673.
Gascars was the protege of Charles II's sister, Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans. He left Paris for England in March 1672 and Vertue mentions that he came under the patronage of the Duchess of Portsmouth. The patronage of the Duchess, together with his close links with the French court and Louis XIV have given rise to suggestion that Gascars was a French agent.
This continental and Catholic link was to form a raft for the Jacobites in years to come, making this a portentous combination of artist and sitter. Gascars' patrons were typically Catholic, Stuart supporters who returned from exile to England with the court of the Restoration, such as Tyroconnel, Richmond etc. It was in this international climate that French painters such as Gascars with their love of "Embroidery, fine Cloaths, lac'd Drapery, and a great Variety of Trumpery Ornaments", thrived.
Gascars left England shortly after Princess Mary had married the Prince of Orange - and Louis XIV in consequence ceased payments to him. He is next found in 1678 painting the Commissioners for the Peace Treaty at Nijmegen, which adds credence to the theory of his role as a French agent.