Jonathan Richardson, Portrait of Hans Sloane, 1740, Oil on Canvas, Framed

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Description

Jonathan Richardson (London 1665 – 1745)

Portrait of Hans Sloane (Killyleagh 1660 – Chelsea 1753), British physician and naturalist

Oil … Read more Jonathan Richardson (London 1665 – 1745)

Portrait of Hans Sloane (Killyleagh 1660 – Chelsea 1753), British physician and naturalist

Oil on canvas

127 x 104 cm. - with an important frame (minor defects and losses) 166 x 144 cm.

Of great charm and prestige, this portrait depicts a gentleman who perfectly embodies the English aesthetic ideal of the late Stuart era, between the late 17th and early 18th centuries, with the rigorous elegance and authority typical of the British nobility and intellectual class.

This is a valuable work by the renowned painter Jonathan Richardson (1667–1745), whose style is distinguished by a sober, realistic, and intellectual portraiture, which redefined English Baroque painting and led it towards the Enlightenment.

Richardson did not seek artificial idealization like his predecessors, but aimed to express the moral dignity, character, and social status of his subjects through solid pictorial execution and a skillful use of light.

Although there are no inscriptions revealing the sitter's identity, the evident historical and visual similarities allow us to recognize his features as Sir Hans Sloane (Killyleagh, 1660 – Chelsea, 1753), a famous British physician and naturalist, who succeeded Isaac Newton as president of the Royal Society in 1727; Famous for having contributed to the founding of the British Museum in London, bequeathing to the British nation his vast collection of over 70,000 objects, including plants, natural specimens, antiquities, and artifacts, thus forming the museum's original core.

In the portrait displayed here, we grasp his extraordinary authority: beneath the inevitable and imposing eighteenth-century gray wig, his face presents proud and expressive features, marked by large, dark eyes that gaze directly at the viewer. His gaze expresses not the haughtiness of a nobleman, but rather the pride and composed wisdom of a scientist who dedicated his life to cataloging the natural world.

There are several official portraits—famous ones by Godfrey Kneller or Stephen Slaughter—in which the scientist wears the same majestic gray "long" wig, brown jacket, and white tie. The proud stance, facial features, and use of color contrasts are almost identical, although each artist follows his own narrative style.

Dialogue on the details of our portrait draws attention to the refined walking stick with its precious handle on which his hand rests, an essential accessory for any self-respecting gentleman, which also ennobles his bearing.

Another noteworthy detail is certainly the choice of setting: outdoors, with a rocky ravine to the left of the sitter, while to the right opens a glimpse of a lush garden, with large, finely detailed trees and plants. Both elements evoke the intellectual's profound connection with nature, to which the artist wished to pay homage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is presented in a beautiful gilded frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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