Sir Godfrey Kneller

(Lübeck 1646-1723 London)

Portrait of a brother and sister, most probably Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694-1753) and his sister, Lady Jane

Footnotes

Provenance
Private Collection, USA, since the early 20th century until sold recently

The present work is a charming depiction of childhood, probably painted circa 1702-03 when Richard Boyle would have been seven or eight years old. The portrait would appear to relate to Kneller's portrait of the 3rd Earl of Burlington and his three sisters at Chatsworth which was painted circa 1700 (fig. 1). Another related work that is known is the copy after Kneller's portrait of the future Earl and his sister of circa 1701 (fig. 2). A later engraving of this painting is entitled 'Richard Lord Clifford and Lady Jane his sister'. Richard's recorded surviving sisters were respectively Ladies Elizabeth, Henrietta and Juliana.

In the Inventory of the Furniture, Books, Pictures, Statuary and other effects at Chiswick House late the property of His Grace the Duke of Devonshire deceased (April 1892), there is a picture listed in the Housekeeper's Sitting Room which might relate to this work: '1 oil painting – 2 figures (£1.0.0)'.

This impressive double portrait by Kneller is one of a number of 'sibling portraits' which the artist painted, including most notably a Portrait of Lionel, 1st Duke of Dorset and his Sister, Lady Mary Sackville (Knole House), a Portrait of Edward and Lady Mary Howard (Dulwich Picture Gallery, London), and a Portrait of the Children of the Howard Family (Bolling Hall).

Richard Boyle was a celebrated collector and patron of the arts, his greatest contribution being in architecture which he practised out of passion rather than economic necessity. He was one of the most rigorous practitioners of the English classical architectural movement known as Palladianism: from 1720 he transformed his suburban estate at Chiswick into a paradigm of classical architecture, with buildings exemplifying his architectural theory and practice.