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Lot Essay
The present portrait was painted by Van Dyck in 1638 at the height of his powers, during his second visit to England and is the pendant to the portrait of her husband, Sir William Killigrew, that was recently acquired by the Tate Gallery, London (fig. 1).
The identity of the sitter in the present portrait has traditionally been confused with that of her brother-in-law's wife, Cecilia Crofts (d. 1638). Cecilia married the poet and dramatist, Thomas Killigrew (1612-83) while Mary, the daughter of John Hill of Honilay, Warwickshire, married Sir William (1606-95), both sons of the courtier, Sir Robert Killigrew (1579-1633).
A double 'friendship' portrait by Van Dyck of Mary, Lady Killigrew with Elizabeth Villiers, Lady Dalkeith is at Wilton House and a number of versions or copies deriving from the single figure of Lady Killigrew of this type exist (see Larsen, op. cit., 1988, II, nos. 887 & A232).
Sir William was knighted on 12 May 1626 and elected by double returns Member of Parliament for Newport and Penryn, both in Cornwall and sat for the latter, 1628-9. He was appointed governor of Pendennis Castle and Falmouth Haven, and obtained the command of the West Cornwall militia. He succeeded to the family mansion in Lothbury and to Kineton Park, near Hampton Court, on his father's death in 1633.
He was made a gentleman-usher to Charles I and during the Civil War commanded one of the two troops of horse that comprised the King's bodyguard. After the Royalist defeat, Killigrew managed to retain his estate and at the Restoration he was restored to his former post of gentleman-usher of the privy chamber. After his marriage to Catherine of Braganza, Charles II appointed him vice-chamberlain to the queen, a post he retained for twenty-two years. In 1664 he was elected M.P. for Richmond, Yorkshire. Like his brother, Thomas (who was the leading Restoration dramatist and builder of the original Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London), he wrote several plays.
Sir William and Lady Mary Killigrew had three sons, Henry (d. 1661), William, a captain in the army, and Sir Robert. A daughter Elizabeth married Sir Francis Clinton.
The identity of the sitter in the present portrait has traditionally been confused with that of her brother-in-law's wife, Cecilia Crofts (d. 1638). Cecilia married the poet and dramatist, Thomas Killigrew (1612-83) while Mary, the daughter of John Hill of Honilay, Warwickshire, married Sir William (1606-95), both sons of the courtier, Sir Robert Killigrew (1579-1633).
A double 'friendship' portrait by Van Dyck of Mary, Lady Killigrew with Elizabeth Villiers, Lady Dalkeith is at Wilton House and a number of versions or copies deriving from the single figure of Lady Killigrew of this type exist (see Larsen, op. cit., 1988, II, nos. 887 & A232).
Sir William was knighted on 12 May 1626 and elected by double returns Member of Parliament for Newport and Penryn, both in Cornwall and sat for the latter, 1628-9. He was appointed governor of Pendennis Castle and Falmouth Haven, and obtained the command of the West Cornwall militia. He succeeded to the family mansion in Lothbury and to Kineton Park, near Hampton Court, on his father's death in 1633.
He was made a gentleman-usher to Charles I and during the Civil War commanded one of the two troops of horse that comprised the King's bodyguard. After the Royalist defeat, Killigrew managed to retain his estate and at the Restoration he was restored to his former post of gentleman-usher of the privy chamber. After his marriage to Catherine of Braganza, Charles II appointed him vice-chamberlain to the queen, a post he retained for twenty-two years. In 1664 he was elected M.P. for Richmond, Yorkshire. Like his brother, Thomas (who was the leading Restoration dramatist and builder of the original Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London), he wrote several plays.
Sir William and Lady Mary Killigrew had three sons, Henry (d. 1661), William, a captain in the army, and Sir Robert. A daughter Elizabeth married Sir Francis Clinton.