Portrait of Sir Charlton Leighton, bust-length

Details

Robert Healy (fl.1765-1771)
Portrait of Sir Charlton Leighton, bust-length
signed and dated 'Rt Healy./1766' (lower left) and with inscription 'Portrait in crayons by R. Healy 1766/of Sir Charlton Leighton of Loton/Park, Co. Salop 4th Baronet/(Sir Charlton Leighton) was born 1747/and died unmarr. Dec. 1784, and was succeeded/by his Brother Sir Robert.' (on an old label attached to the backing)
black, white and coloured chalk, oval
19¼ x 16 in. (48.9 x 40.6 cm.)

Provenance

Leighton family and thence by descent.
Anonymous sale; Sothebys, London, 15 July 1999, lot 123.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

Sir Charles Leighton was Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury (1780-1784) and died unmarried on the 9th September, 1784. He succeeded his father Sir Charles Leighton, 3rd Bt., Major of Marines and Colonel in the Shropshire Militia, who was High Sheriff of Shropshire from 1749-50. He married firstly Anna Maria, daughter of Richard Mytton of Halston, Shropshire, and secondly Emma, daughter of Sir Robert Maude. The family seat of Loton Park is situated in the village of Alderbury, Shropshire.

Robert Healy was a pupil of Robert West (d.1770), the first master of the Dublin Society Schools. The use of grisaille, as in the present drawing, was popular in Society Schools and both Hugh Douglas Hamilton and Thomas Hickey worked in this medium early in their careers. Healy's working career was short, lasting only from circa 1765, when he was a student, to 1771 when he died young.

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