Portrait of Thomas Bulwer
Gerard van Soest·1654
Historical Context
Gerard van Soest painted this portrait of Thomas Bulwer in 1654, during his career as a portrait painter in London. Van Soest (or Soest) was a Dutch-born painter who settled in England during the Commonwealth period, serving a clientele that included both Parliamentarians and Royalists. His solid, detailed portraits provided a valued alternative to the more expensive work of Peter Lely, the dominant portraitist of the Restoration.
Technical Analysis
Van Soest's oil on canvas demonstrates the straightforward Dutch portrait tradition adapted to English tastes, with careful modeling of the face and precise rendering of costume details. The dark, restrained palette and direct characterization reflect the sober portrait conventions of the Commonwealth period.
Provenance
Rippon Hall, Hevingham, Norwich, by 1910 [according to Singh 1923, who visited Rippon Hall on July 29, 1910]. Lever Galleries, London, by 1937 [according to a letter from Leggatt Brothers to Ilse Hecht dated October 3, 1977, in curatorial file]; sold to Leggatt Brothers, London, 1937 [according to the letter cited above]; sold to Reginald H. Leon, The White House, Denham, Buckinghamshire, 1937 as Portrait of John Bulwer [date according to the letter cited above; title according to a letter from Leggatt Brothers to Ilse Hecht dated October 25, 1977, in curatorial file]; his sale, Knight, Frank & Rutley, The White House, Denham, Buckinghamshire, May 9, 1961, lot 49 as Portrait of John Bulwer for £260 to Agnew & Sons [price and buyer according to annotated photocopy of the sale catalogue, in curatorial file]; Agnew Brothers, London; sold to the Art Institute, 1962.
