Collection of miniatures at Valence House Museum – seeking advice on attributions
Charles Gascoyne Fanshawe (1776-1800). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
Leeanne Westwood, Curator at Valence House Museum, is researching artist attributions for a recent donation of nine Fanshawe family miniatures, and one loan to the collection. The ten paintings are shown below along with what information as to sitter identity and dating is currently known.
To share your thoughts on possible artists, please use the Comment field at the bottom of the page.
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- Unidentified Lady signed ‘Cosway’. Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- Rev. John Fanshawe (1773-1843). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- John Gascoyne Fanshawe (1746-1803). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- John Fanshawe (1773-1843). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- Hon. M Fanshawe (after Reynolds?). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- Henry Fanshawe (1774-1854). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- Henry Fanshawe (1774-1854), dated 1804. Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- Elizabeth Gunning (1733-1790). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- Charles Gascoyne Fanshawe (1776-1800). Fanshawe Collection, Valence House Museum, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham
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- Althea Fanshawe, by unknown artist, unknown date. On loan to Valence House Museum.
Comments
The miniature of Henry Fanshawe is by the artist Nicholas Freese (1761-1831)
Thank you Claudia!
The miniature titled Elizabeth Gunning appears to be a copy of part of Thomas Gainsborough’s The Hon. Mrs. Graham full-length portrait (R.A. 1777), now to be found at the National Galleries of Scotland.
Thank you Charles!
Hello Claudia
For my own clarification, can I ask what makes you say it is by Nicholas Freese? Many thanks.
Hello Charles
Thank you for pointing us to this painting. We will see if we can find a connection between her family and the Fanshawes to work out why the Fanshawes would have her portrait.
Freese very rarely signed (I do have one currently in stock) but the treatment of the background with linear strokes in a circular movement are typical and unique to Freese’s work.
Interesting, many thanks Claudia.
Hello, I am looking to identify which (if any) of these might be the portrait of Althea Fanshawe (b. 1759-d. 1824) that the _The History of the Family Fanshawe_ (published 1927, pp. 272) cites as being once at Dengie, and is painted by Fanshawe herself. I am currently writing about Althea Fanshawe in my monograph, _The Review Periodical and British Women Novelists, 1790-1820_. I am hoping to shed light on her writings and her authorship. If there is a likeness of her still in existence, I would love to know more about it!
Hello Megan
It is likely that the portrait of Althea shown on this page is the one referred to in the family history as being Althea of Fanshawe Gate (1759-1824). However, this attribution cannot be correct as the miniature dates to the early Victorian period and more probably shows Althea’s great niece Althea Faithfull Fanshawe (1809-1878). Please do email me directly if you would like to discuss this further: [email protected].