John Michael Wright

three-quarter length, standing, wearing armour with the badge and chain of the Garter, holding a baton, a landscape with Charles II landing at Dover in 1660 beyond

Given to Sir William Courtenay, 1st Bt. (1628-1702) by the sitter in 1667;
Thence by descent

D. Piper, Catalogue of Seventeenth-Century Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery 1625-1714, 1963, p. 4;
S. Stevenson and D. Thomson, John Michael Wright; The Kings Painter, 1982, pp. 73-74;
Lord Devon, Powderham Castle, Historic Family Home of the Earls of Devon, 2006, p. 12 (illustrated hanging in the Ante-Room)        

ENGRAVED:
By Francesco Bartolozzi, R.A., 1786, as being at Powderham Castle                                                                                           

STRUCTURE The canvas has an old lining. PAINT SURFACE The painting is covered with a thick layer of surface dirt and discoloured varnish overall. There is evidence of rubbing or perhaps earlier overcleaning to the pigments, predominantly around the sitter's right hand. There is also a fine and even craquelure overall. The painting would respond well to being cleaned and re-varnished. FRAME Held in an elaborately carved and gilded frame. For further information on the present lot please contact Julian Gascoigne on 0044 (0)20 7293 5482, or via email at julian.gascoigne@sothebys.com.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

For George Monck the restoration of Charles II was undeniably the highpoint in a career distinguished by achievement. In a masterstroke of diplomacy, working through a network of Royalist contacts in his native Devon, between February and May 1660 Monck secured an agreement between Parliament and the exiled Stuart Court which resulted in Charles's landing at Dover on 25^th May 1660, seen in the background of the present painting, and the return of a constitutional monarchy to England. As both a member of the Council of State and Commander-in-Chief of the army he was in a position to pacify both the military and the civilian population, resulting in a hand over of power which was both swift and bloodless. The first to embrace the King as he set foot on English soil, Monck was handsomely rewarded for his efforts, being presented with the insignia of the Garter by Charles himself, and appointed Master of the Horse in the restored Royal Court. On 7^th July he was created Baron Monck of Potheridge, Beauchamp, and Teyes, Earl of Torrington and Duke of Albemarle, titles which either made reference to his Devon roots or paid homage to aristocratic forbears in the Monck line. 

Born in December 1608, the son of an impoverished Devon gentleman, Monck had risen to prominence as an exceptional military commander, both at sea and on land, serving consecutively in the Stuart, Parliamentary and Protectorate forces, before returning to Royal service under Charles II. A consciously enigmatic figure, he was master of the surprise attack, in both military and political affairs, skilfully navigating the transitions of power and patronage that dominated the early seventeenth century. At sea he can justly be accredited with the development of fighting in line formation, which was to dominate English naval tactics for the next two centuries, whilst on land his military legacy can still be seen today in the form of the Coldstream Guards.

Wright's portrait of General Monck is known in two versions; the present portrait, which according to Bartolozzi dates from 1667 (see above) and was presented by the sitter to his friend Sir William Courtenay; and another at Longleat, which is signed and dated on the relining 1668. As a distinguished military and political figure, who remained close to his Devon origins throughout his life, Monck would have been well acquainted with Sir William Courtenay. An eminent figure himself in the West Country, not only was Sir William Sheriff of Devon from 1664-1665, he also served as Member of Parliament for Devon from 1679-1681. In 1659, the year before the Restoration, the two men both served together as Commissioners of the Militia for Devon, and Sir William was also married to the daughter of Monck's fellow Parliamentary General, William Waller.