John Hamilton Mortimer (1740 - 1779), Portrait of James Stanley (1750 - 1810), circa 1775-1778

Property of a Gentleman. John Hamilton Mortimer (1740 - 1779) Portrait of James Stanley (1750 - 1810), circa 1775-1778 Oil on canvas In a carved giltwood frame decorated with floral and shell motifs With labels verso.Lot Essay: James Stanley was born in 1750 He was the grandfather of Edward James Stanley, who married Mary Dorothy Labouchere, eldest daughter of Henry Labouchere, Lord Taunton (1798-1869).  Lord Taunton was a prominent Whig and Liberal politician and also formed a wide-ranging art collection of very high quality. He lived at Stoke Park, Stoke Poges, but later moved to a larger house, Quantock Lodge near Over Stowey, which he built between 1856 and 1868 to accommodate his collection. After his death Quantock Lodge and the art collection passed by descent to Edward Arthur Vesey Stanley, who sold part of it at auction. Included was the present portrait, which had come into Lord Taunton's collection from the Stanley family. The 14 July 1920 sale was conducted by Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, the present work sold as lot 174: 'Zoffany (attributed to). Portrait of a gentleman: whole-length, walking towards the right in a landscape; in red coat and breeches and white embroidered waistcoat. Canvas, 29 x 24 ins.'John Hamilton Mortimer came to London where he studied briefly under Thomas Hudson and then Robert Edge Pyne, who influenced his technique. He was closely associated with The Society of Artists where he exhibited every year from 1762 to 1777.Provenance: With the sitter, James Stanley (1750-1810), and thence by descent to his grandson; Edward James Stanley, who married Mary Dorothy Labouchere (1843-1920), eldest daughter of Henry Labouchere, Lord Taunton (1798-1869); By descent to their son E. A. V. Stanley; Sotheby, Wilson & Hodge, 14 July 1920, lot 174; Private Collection, United KingdomDimensions: (Canvas) 29 in. (H) x 23.75 in. (W) (Frame) 36.75 in. (H) x 31.5 in. (W)