Circle of Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger

William Vesey-FitzGerald, 2nd Baron FitzGerald and Vesey (1783-1843);
His deceased estate sale, London, Francis Fuller & Co., 17-24 July 1843, lot 726 (as a Portrait of a Lady), to Sir John and Lady Sarah Hay-Williams, for Plas Rhianva, Anglesey;
By descent to their daughter, Margaret, who married  Sir Edmund Verney, 3rd Bt. (1838-1910) in 1868;
By descent to their son, Sir Harry Verney, 4th Bt. (1881-1974), at Rhianva, Anglesey;
Thence by descent.

J. Steegman, Portraits in Welsh Houses, vol. I, Cardiff 1957, p. 39, no. 9 (listed as probably a portrait of Lady Arabella Stuart).

The catalogue image is representative. The panel support is constructed of three horizontal planks and is cradled. The lower third has separated from the central panel and will require some attention, however the paint along that line is stable. The varnish is old, uneven and yellowed; the painting would benefit from a professional clean which would enhance the many beautifully preserved elements of the painting. To the naked eye the details of the pearls, lace hood and embroidered dress remain untouched and lively. An old campaign of restoration in the background and in the hair of the lady is visible. Inspection under UV light shows further scattered retouchings (some of which are fairly significant) and strenghtenings, the majority of which are discoloured and visible to the naked eye, such as those in the lady’s face. There is one small area of abrasion in the lady’s right sleeve measuring 1x1 cm, a 14cm diagonal scratch over the lady’s left eye, and areas of slight wear by the lady’s left ear, and on the right side of the painting adjacent to the edge of the hood. The panel is offered in a well preserved elaborate carved gilt wood frame with only a few minor losses.
"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."

The coiled serpent embroidered on the sitter's left sleeve, and the bejewelled gauntlet on the ruff, are both motifs which appear in the famous 'Rainbow' Portrait of Elizabeth I (Marquess of Salisbury, Hatfield House). Roy Strong notes the symbol of the serpent is an attribute of Intelligenza in Caesar Ripa's Iconologia, or Moral Emblems, published in 1593.¹ The serpent also reappears in a portrait of an unknown lady, of circa 1600, formerly in the collection of Sir Kenneth Matheson in 1918, which was sold as possibly a portrait of Lady Arabella Stuart, London, Sotheby's, 15 March 1961, lot 38.

1. See R. Strong, Portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, Oxford 1963, p. 86.