1739-1740

11.2

Artist of the prototype:

Anonymus

Artist of this work:

Kyte, Francis (active between 1710 and 1745)

Type and material: H x W cm

Oil : 18.4 x 14

Date of creation:

1742

Comments:

Cummings (Musical Times, 14 Dec. 1893, p. 23): “The Portrait of Francis Kyte (p. 15) was painted in 1742, when Handel was fifty-seven years of age, and is noteworthy as having been executed from life, that it might be engraved by Houbraken at Amsterdam, for publication in London. The engraving subsequently appeared in numerous works, operas &c. the plate finally, after many printings and touches of renewal, producing a poor representation of the original picture. Sir John Hawkins, who knew Handel well, said that of all the portraits which had been painted, this conveyed the best likeness. The original oil painting is small (about 8 x 7 in.) and is inscribed on the back, Mr. Handel. It has had a chequered career, having been lost sight of for many years; it was recovered in a London shop by Mr. Keith Milnes, in 1824, who published a cosiderable account of it with eulogistic from Sir  Thomas Lawrence and Sir H. Beechy. At the death of Mr. Wilness the picture again disappeard, and was re -discovered at Sandwich a few years since by Mr. Julian Marshall, from whom I purchased it.”

The painting was dated 1742 and was for a long time considered to be the original for Houbraken’s work until the print was correctly dated as 1738.

Notation on the back of a photo in the NPG (according to Smith 3): “Kyte after an unknown artist.”

Sources and illustrations:

Mainwaring,  John: Memoirs of the Life of the late George Frederic Handel... - London : Dodsley, 1760, Frontispiece ; Milnes Keith: Memoirs relating to the Portrait of Handel by Francis Kyte, and containing proofs of its authenticity. - London: private print, 1829 ; Cummings... - In: MT (1893) 14.12., p. 23 (Wood engraving “Handel painted by Kyte”) ; Goddard, p. 49, p. 506 (Reproduction in colour) ; Grove, 1927, vol. II, p. 506 ; Rockstro, p. 424 ; Maitland and Squire, p. 290 ; Schoelcher, p. 358 ; Vogel, pp. 24-25 ; Musica (1959) Jan. pl. 4 ; Kerslake, pp. 122-123; pl. 33 ; Smith 2, pp. 111-132, ill. pl. 7 ; Smith: A Handelian's Notebook... pp. 127-128 ; Smith 3, 62 ; Simon, p. 38

Provenance:

Belonged to Keith Milnes from 1824, but its whereabouts was unknown after his death; rediscovered in the possession of Julian Marshall, bought from him by Cummings; auctioned by Sotheby’s on May 17 – 24, 1917, presented to the NPG in 1927.

owner:

NPG

Copy

Artist of the original/prototype:

Kyte, Francis (active between 1710 and 1745 ?)

Artist of this work:

Susanna, Countess of Shaftesbury (attributed to)

Type and material: H x W cm:

Pastell : 22,2 x 17,2

Date of creation::

Smith: “c. 1745 or later.”

Comments:

[additional versions described by Kerslake, p.123]

Sources and illustrations

Kerslake, p. 123 ; Smith 3, 75 ; Simon, p. 38

Owner:

Shaftesbury family collection, St. Giles, Wimborne

12: 1739 (54)

Artist:

Roubiliac, Louis François (1702/5-1762)

Inscribed signature:

[on the marble pedestal] “HANDEL... / Presented by the Right Hon: / SIR FREDERICK POLLOCK. Vice / President. 1844. Roubiliac”

Description:

This version is very similar to the marble bust (slightly larger), but it restores Handel’s birthmark on the left cheek, which is otherwise seldom found.

Type and material:

Terracotta : 72,4

Date of creation:

1739

Comments:

Terracotta model for the marble bust in Windsor. Plaster copies are in the Th. Coram Foudation and in the Gerald Coke Handel Collection.

Sources and illustrations:

Simon, p. 40, photo opposite to p. 44 ; Kerslake, pp. 127 and 130, ill. 329-330 ; Kerslake, John: Roubiliac's “Handel” : a terracotta restored. – In: Burlington Magazine 108(1966), p. 475, ill. 46 and 47

Owner:

The Thomas Coram Foundation for Children

Casting

Artist:

Roubiliac, Louis François (1702/5-1762)

Description:

Exact casting

Type and material: H x W cm

Bronze casting of the terracotta bust : 9; including pedestal: 85

Date of origin:

1935

Comments:

The original was loaned to the city of Halle for an exhibition marking the 250th birthday of Handel. Permission for a casting was granted on this occasion.

Sources and illustrations:

Simon, p. 40 ; Kat. d. HH II, p. 263

Owner and classification:

HH BS-I, 48

13: 1740 (55)

Artist:

Heins, John Theodore [also known as Dietrich or Dirk] (1697-1756)

Inscribed signature:

Lower right: “Heins : pinxit 1740”

Description:

Three quarter length, turned to the right, wig, brown velvet coat; Slip on the backside, supposably 2. half of the 19. Century, stentering frame, slat below: “G. F. Händel. /  Signed: Heins : pinxit 1740. / Heins, who came to England about / [this (?)] year [sic], lived chiefly in / Norwich & painted several members / of Composition. He produced / (...) miniature in oil after Poet Cowper / (...)”

Type and material: H x W cm:

Oil on canvas: 123 x 98

Date of origin:

1740

Comments:

On the basis of a photo we were certain to see a portrait of Handel before we could discover the above mentioned Slip on the backside. The assumption that this is an authentic Handel portrait is supported inter alia by its great resemblance to that of “Denner” (1736) in the Knole Collection or, especially to Roubiliac (1739) as well as to van der Myn and others. The rarely depicted birthmark on the left cheek also argues in favor of its authenticity. The portrait was offered in the catalogue as “by Thomas Hudson”.

Sources and illustrations:

Van Ham-Kunstauktionen :  Alte Kunst ; 245. Auktion 17.-19. November 2005, p. 174

Provenance:

Last possessor was Kurt Malangré (former mayor of Aachen), bought at auction on November 19, 2005 (lot 1582) by the Sparkassenstiftung Halle-Saalkreis

Owner:

Händel-Haus, permanent loan by Stiftung der Stadt- und Saalkreissparkasse Halle

14: possibly ca. 1740

Artist:

van der Myn, Francis (?) (1719-1783) [attribution by Kerslake]

Type and material: H x W cm:     

Oil: 77 x 64.3

Date of creation:     

[possibly  ca. 1740]

Comments:

This portrait appears to be authentic. Judging by appearance and time it might be placed between Denner (1726–1728) and Hudson (1748), thus around 1740. Kerslake attributes it to Francis van der Myn with some reservations. In the past it was also considered to be the original for Faber’s mezzotint (see Hudson, 1748).

Sources and illustrations:

Simon, pp. 42-43 ; Elkin, Robert: The Old Concert Rooms of London. - 1955, p. 89 ; Kerslake, pp. 125-126

Provenance:

The first known owner was Redmond Simpson (died 1787). He gave the work (together with portraits of Geminiani, Purcell and Corelli) to the Concert of Ancient Music in ca. 1785 and it was displayed in the concert hall in the Tottenham Street Rooms. All four portraits were acquired by the Royal Society of Musicians in 1851.

Owner:

Royal Society of Musicians

Replica

Artist:

van der Myn, Francis (?) (1719-1783)

Type and material: H x W cm:

Oil: 77 x 65

Date of creation:

Probably  ca. 1740

Comments:

More or less identical to the preceding painting.

Sources and illustrations:

Simon, p. 43

Provenance:

It was owned by the Royal Society of Musicians in 1813.

Replica

Artist:

van der Myn, Francis (?)

Type and material: H x W cm:    

Oil on canvas: 27.9 x 21.6

Date of creation:

?

Comments:

This portrait is smaller but similar to the preceding

Sources and illustrations:

Simon, p. 43

Provenance:

(originally in the collection of W. H Cummings)

Owner and classification:

NPG 2151