The attribution from hell?
April 11 2011
Picture: Sotheby's
Sotheby's must have been presented with a real puzzle when it came to cataloguing the above portrait for this week's old master sale, and I'm impressed by their solution. [More below]
The sitter is Charles Bruce, Earl of Elgin and Ailesbury (1682-1747) - and evidently the portrait was painted in the early 18thC. But the picture is catalogued as 'Attributed to Sir Godfrey Kneller and Sir Joshua Reynolds', which on the surface is unlikely, since Reynolds was just three months old when Kneller died. Sotheby's note states, however;
The costume would appear to date from the 1760s/1770's and is very close in style to the work of Reynolds who painted for the family.
I went to see the picture today, and I think they're right. The drapery is clearly painted in Reynolds' hand, and must have been added later. Perhaps this was done to make sure the sitter was wearing peer's robes, as many of the other Ailesbury portraits are. It seems, from the overall quality of the drapery, that Reynolds did not enjoy the task.
I didn't get a good look at the head of the portrait, but Kneller is probably right. Thomas Murray is another candidate - the flesh tones are quite smooth for Kneller.
