Circle of Richard Gibson

Probably Mrs Richard Gibson, née Anne Shepherd (d. 1707), the artist's wife,

probably Susannah-Penelope Rosse (d. 1700), the artist's daughter,

probably Michael Rosse (d. circa 1735), her husband,

probably his sale, London, Cecil Street, April-May 1723, unknown lot number,

possibly (according to family tradition) Christopher Tower of Huntsmoor Park, Buckinghamshire (1657-1728),

possibly Christopher Tower (1692-1771),

possibly Christopher Tower (1747-1810),

possibly the Rev. William Tower of Weald Hall, Essex (1789-1847),

Mrs William Henry Harford, née Ellen Tower (1832-1907),

Hugh Wyndham Luttrell Harford (1862-1920),

Arthur Hugh Harford (1905-1985),

by descent to the present owner

We are very grateful to Neil Jeffares for his help in clarifying the early provenance of this collection. Please see his article ‘William Towers (-1678) art dealer and collector’

Neil Jeffares | Fairness, candour & curiosity – from finance to art history (wordpress.com)

The inscription on the reserve of this portrait, written in an elegant seventeenth century hand, identifies the sitter as Richard Gibson (see introduction for biographical details).

Other images of Gibson are known: a full length portrait of the artist and his wife by Sir Peter Lely (London, Sotheby’s, 10 April 1991, lot 68); a portrait of Gibson standing beside a marble bust, attributed to Lely’s studio (National Portrait Gallery, London NPG 1975); and a mid eighteenth century engraving by Anthony Walker (1726-1765), derived from a lost work which depicts the artist and his wife (National Portrait Gallery, London NPG D30417). The present counter-proof drawing relates most closely to the latter.

For further information on the work please refer to lot 8.