Core Record |
| Title |
Lucius and Montague Hare, Younger Sons of Henry Hare, 2nd Lord Coleraine of Bruce Castle, with an African Attendant |
| Collection |
Bruce Castle Museum, Haringey |
| Artist |
Attributed to Verelst, Simon Pietersz. (Dutch painter, born 1644, probably died 1721, active in England) |
| Date Earliest |
possibly about 1675 |
| Date Latest |
possibly about 1670 |
| Description |
Full length portrait of Lucius and Montague Hare, sons of Henry Hare, 2nd Lord Coleraine (1636-1708), antiquary and author. The painting places the two young brothers in an Italianate landscape, one seated on a red cushion, the other standing. They are equipped with bows and arrows, and hunting seems to be the theme of the painting, as they appear to have been surprised by the entrance of an African attendant blowing a horn and accompanied by a hunting hound. |
| Current Accession Number |
LDBCM:2002.88 |
| Subject |
portrait (Hare, Lucius; Hare, Montague; African attendant); animal (hound) |
| Measurements |
172 x 131 cm (estimate) |
| Material |
oil on canvas |
| Acquisition Details |
Purchased from Elwes and Hanham Ltd 2002. |
| Provenance |
Commissioned by Henry Hare, 2nd Lord Coleraine, for Bruce Castle; possibly Coleraine sale of 1754; the dealer, Mr Bryant about 1837; by descent to Mr A. Bryant; private collector, England, 1857; Blaffer collection, Paris, 2000; Elwes and Hanham Ltd. |
| Publications |
Vertue, G., 'The Notebooks of George Vertue', Walpole Society, xxiv, 1935-6, p. 84; National Art Collections Fund Review, cat. 5067, p. 6. |
| Notes |
Transcription of label on back of stretcher, (from sale records); 'Portraits of the Honble Lucius & Montague Hare, children of Henry Hare, 2nd Lord Coleraine. This picture is by Verelst, but which I know not as only that name was upon the old stretcher before it was re-lined by Bryant the picture dealer who bought it - with others about 20 years hence when the gallery was broken up. At his death it came into the possession of his brother a. Bryant of Shaftesbury Terrace, Pimlico, London by whom it was sold to me in 1857. It was inserted into the panelling of Bruce Castle, Tottenham, Middlesex and had been there since it was first painted. I suspect it is by Simon Verelst'. Painting is thought to have been set in the panelling of Bruce Castle. It may have been cut down on the right side, as it appears that part of the composition is missing. Previous attributions have suggested both Simon and Herman Verelst; however, the only record of this painting, in the notebooks of George Vertue, suggests otherwise, 'those pictures at Ld. Coleranes of his Grandfather the Dutches of Somersett - Hugh Hare Esqr and his brother painted 1682 two other young children in an other picture all painted by the same master - to that picture of the Dutches is a mark of the painter. TMQ.f.' [V. 120, B. M. 68b] The painting is dated according to the estimated ages of the sitters; no Baptismal record for either brother can be found, (or indeed any record at all of Montague), however, Lucius' date of birth may be estimated at 1674-5, based on his entry into the Inner Temple in 1689-90, and his being called at the bar in 1697. |
| Rights Owner |
Haringey Libraries, Archives and Museum Service |
| Author |
Malcolm Barclay |
