A portrait of 6th Baron Craven

 


This portrait of William, 6th Baron Craven, is currently on show in Berkeley Square London, among other Georgian paintings being sold by Isherwood Fine Art.

It is very similar but not identical to the better-known portrait of him by Thomas Beach, in which he is holding the plans for Benham. Apparently three versions were painted, the third one with his right hand resting on a large dog.

 It shows that Lord Craven could be quite a dandy, in this pale almond green velvet suit, with a quilted blue waistcoat and lace cravat.

It would be a wonderful acquisition for one of the Berkshire museums or perhaps for the up-market restaurant that is going to be opened at 16, Charles Street, London, formerly the Craven home.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Craven Family of Hamstead Marshall, Enborne, Berkshire

Image
If you go to Hamstead Marshall, near Newbury, in Berkshire, you will see a pair of enigmatic gateposts standing in the middle of what looks like open farmland. They lead nowhere, and the effect is surreal. There are seven other pairs of gateposts of similar style in the locality, giving a clue to the existence of a now-vanished house and park. In fact there have been many buildings on this site, including a mediaeval castle. The name comes from the Marshall family who owned it in the reign of Henry II. In 1550, Edward VI gave the estate to his sister, the young Princess Elizabeth.  There are some scandalous rumours that the Tudor house was a hiding-place for a secret love-child the Queen bore in her youth, but this is probably legend. Elizabeth I when a Princess   c.1546. Did she have a secret love-child  at Hampstead Marshall? After she came to the throne, the Queen gave Hamstead to  Sir Thomas Parry, formerly her bursar, who built a new residence there.   In 1620, t
Read more

I Thank Thee God, That I Have Lived, by Elizabeth Craven

Image
There is no doubt that Elizabeth Craven 's most popular poem is "I Thank Thee, God, That I Have Lived". It is a real chart-topper and has been re-printed in countless different editions and on websites. But did you know that it had even been made into a song? Y es, someone called Emma Topping has recorded it. You can download the song from various websites. I Thank Thee God, That I Have Lived (by Elizabeth Craven) Emma Topping From the Album  Poetry for Inspiration The poem is often attributed to "Elizabeth Countess of Craven" although that is a title Elizabeth never held. She was Lady Craven but never a Countess!                                               Elizabeth Craven sketch portrait c.1804 To find out more about Elizabeth Craven, her life and her writings, read  Vernon Press - Elizabeth Craven: Writer, Feminist and European ... https://vernonpress.com/title?id=334 23 Jun 2017 -  Elizabeth Craven's  fascinat
Read more

Dangerous Liaisons: The Wicked Earl of Berkeley

Image
Elizabeth Craven's elder brother, Frederick, 5th Earl of Berkeley, was one of the most eligible men in England. Clever, cultivated and well-travelled, owner of vast estates that included Berkeley Square in London and an ancestral castle, he was often busy running the Gloucester militia, which played an essential role in the defence of the kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars. He loved to wear the scarlet coat that proclaimed him colonel of this militia, the coat he is wearing in this portrait painted of him as a young man by Pompeo Batoni. And what a handsome young man he is. The 5th Earl was also an infamous Georgian rake, one of the most  dastardly libertines who ever ensnared an innocent female . He could have added lustre to his family name, but instead he made it notorious for all the wrong reasons. The scandal lingered on long after his death and had immense repercussions.  He really deserves to be classed along with the Lovelaces, Valmonts, Squire Thornhills, Willough
Read more