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Lot Essay
Full-length portraits of Monmouth are extremely rare. The head derives from Wissing prototypes, painted between 1680-89 (in the collections of Palace House, Hampshire, and National Portrait Gallery). However, no full-lengths in armour by Wissing are recorded and the figure recalls the pose and costume of some of van Dyck's portraits although these are more usually shown in full armour.
James (Crofts) was born on 9 April 1649 at Rotterdam, the illegitimate son of King Charles II (1630-1685) and Lucy Walter (c.1630-1658) who he met during a brief visit to The Hague in July 1648 when she was under the protection of Colonel Robert Sidney (1628-1668). King Charles II had his natural son James kidnapped in 1658 but saw little of him until the summer of 1662 when he joined the Royal Court and quickly won his father's approval. In March 1663 he was created Duke of Monmouth, Earl of Doncaster and Baron of Fotheringay, taking precedence over all the dukes not of the blood royal and the following month he married the wealthy Scottish heiress, Anna Scott, Countess of Buccleuch (1651-1732), whose last name he took, and was additionally created Duke of Buccleuch, Earl of Dalkeith, and Lord Scott of Whitchester and Eskdale. In 1666 he entered the army as a cavalry captain and rose quickly, developing a reputation as decisive military leader following his part in the successful siege of Maastricht in July 1673. At the death in 1670 of George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, the King had taken over the command of the armed forces. However, by 1674, the King established that all orders relating to the armed forces should be sent to Monmouth for inspection before passing to himself for Royal approval. Monmouth was appointed Captain-General of all the land forces of England, Wales and Berwick in 1678 and led successful campaigns against France in Flanders in 1678 and against the Scottish uprising the following year.
The King's fondness of Monmouth and his speedy rise led observers to believe that he would declare his son legitimate, and there were rumours that Charles had actually married to Monmouth's mother. This made Monmouth popular with the opposition led by Lord Shaftesbury who campaigned for Monmouth to be named in the succession. Relations between the King and Monmouth deteriorated and in 1679 Monmouth was exiled. He remained only a few months in Utrecht before returning to England to plot uprisings. On the death of King Charles II in 1685, Monmouth assembled an invasion force in the Low Countries and landed at Lyme Regis on 11 June of that year, but his army was defeated at Bridgewater on 3 July and Monmouth was imprisoned in the tower before his execution on 15 July.
The earliest likeness of Monmouth is a drawing of circa 1660 by Samuel Cooper (Royal Collection) and two years later Nicholas Dixon painted a portrait miniature of him (Private Collection). Other portraits of him by Sir Peter Lely, Sir Godfrey Kneller and William Wissing are recorded.
James (Crofts) was born on 9 April 1649 at Rotterdam, the illegitimate son of King Charles II (1630-1685) and Lucy Walter (c.1630-1658) who he met during a brief visit to The Hague in July 1648 when she was under the protection of Colonel Robert Sidney (1628-1668). King Charles II had his natural son James kidnapped in 1658 but saw little of him until the summer of 1662 when he joined the Royal Court and quickly won his father's approval. In March 1663 he was created Duke of Monmouth, Earl of Doncaster and Baron of Fotheringay, taking precedence over all the dukes not of the blood royal and the following month he married the wealthy Scottish heiress, Anna Scott, Countess of Buccleuch (1651-1732), whose last name he took, and was additionally created Duke of Buccleuch, Earl of Dalkeith, and Lord Scott of Whitchester and Eskdale. In 1666 he entered the army as a cavalry captain and rose quickly, developing a reputation as decisive military leader following his part in the successful siege of Maastricht in July 1673. At the death in 1670 of George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, the King had taken over the command of the armed forces. However, by 1674, the King established that all orders relating to the armed forces should be sent to Monmouth for inspection before passing to himself for Royal approval. Monmouth was appointed Captain-General of all the land forces of England, Wales and Berwick in 1678 and led successful campaigns against France in Flanders in 1678 and against the Scottish uprising the following year.
The King's fondness of Monmouth and his speedy rise led observers to believe that he would declare his son legitimate, and there were rumours that Charles had actually married to Monmouth's mother. This made Monmouth popular with the opposition led by Lord Shaftesbury who campaigned for Monmouth to be named in the succession. Relations between the King and Monmouth deteriorated and in 1679 Monmouth was exiled. He remained only a few months in Utrecht before returning to England to plot uprisings. On the death of King Charles II in 1685, Monmouth assembled an invasion force in the Low Countries and landed at Lyme Regis on 11 June of that year, but his army was defeated at Bridgewater on 3 July and Monmouth was imprisoned in the tower before his execution on 15 July.
The earliest likeness of Monmouth is a drawing of circa 1660 by Samuel Cooper (Royal Collection) and two years later Nicholas Dixon painted a portrait miniature of him (Private Collection). Other portraits of him by Sir Peter Lely, Sir Godfrey Kneller and William Wissing are recorded.