Gaspar Smitz fl.1662-1689

 Gaspar Smitz, the Dutch born artist, came to England shortly after the Restoration in 1660.  He is recorded as being in Dublin from the mid 1660's until his death in 1668.  His pupils included William Gandy, and probably Garret Mortphy, and Vertue records that James Maubert received his 'first instructions in drawing and painting' from Gaspar Smitz.

A rival of John Michael Wright, Smitz's commissions included portraits of James, 2nd Marquess of Annandale, and of the Countess of Kinnoull with her son Lord Dupplin.  He also painted members of the Nugent family. 

In addition to portraiture, Smitz also painted highly regarded still lives, religeous scenes, and vanitas still life. He painted so many pictures depicting Mary Magdalene that he was nicknamed 'Madgalene Smith'. As George Vertue records 'Gaspar Smith kept allways a Madam or Maulkin who served him when he wanted a Model for his Magdalens that he painted those small kind of paintings was his greatest art'.

It has been suggested that the sitter may possibly be John Arundell, Baron Arundell of Trerice (1649-1698).  He was the only surviving son and heir of Richard Arundell and his wife Gertrude, daughter of Sir James Bagge of Saltram and his wife Grace, daughter of John Fortescue of Buckland Filleigh, Devon.  He was M.P. for Truro from 1666-79 and from 1685-87.  He married firstly in 1675 Margaret only daughter of Sir John Acland of Columb John, Devon, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Dennis Rolle of Stevenstone.  He married secondly in 1692 Barbara widow of Si Richard Mauleverrer, daughter of Sir Thomas Slingsby, 2nd bt. and his wife Dorothy daughter of George Cradock.