Artwork
Portrait of the Earl of Pembroke with His Family (copy)
Portrait of the Earl of Pembroke with His Family (copy) is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
This oil painting depicts a group portrait of the Earl of Pembroke and his family set against the backdrop of a grand outdoor setting, characterized by a prominent building, a checkered floor, and a dramatic sky with dark clouds.
Subject & Meaning
The Earl, dressed in red, is centrally positioned holding hands with a woman in silver, likely his wife, who also holds a fan and a crown-like object, emphasizing her stature. Family members are arranged around them in various poses, with two cherubs floating above, adding a symbolic layer.
Technique & Style
The painting utilizes strong chiaroscuro, with bright, vibrant colors and deep shadows creating a high contrast that makes the figures stand out against the darker elements of the background, enhancing the overall visual impact.
History & Provenance
The work is noted as a copy, implying it is a reproduction of an original painting, though specific details about the original artist, the copyist, and the painting's history are not provided.
Context
The attire (wigs, buttoned coats, formal dresses) and the artistic techniques employed situate the painting within the broader traditions of 17th or 18th-century European portraiture, which often featured wealthy families in grand settings.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
Family Portrait
Family Portrait
The leavetaking of Captain Hendrik de Sandra (1619-1707), sent off by his wife and children
Portrait of the Family de Bie
The Reception of Charles II and his Brothers in the Guild of Saint Barbara in Bruges
The family of the Grand Dauphin, Louis of France (1661-1711)
Allegorizing Group Portrait of the Children of Diederic Pietersz van Leyden van Leeuwen, Burgomaster of Leiden, and Alida Paets
Everhard Jabach (1618–1695) and His Family
Mariage de Louis de France, duc de Bourgogne et de Marie-Adélaïde de Savoie, 7 décembre 1697
Double portrait of Alethea Talbot (1585-1654), Countess of Arundel and Sir Dudley Carleton (1573-1632), with two servants
Frederik Hendrik (1584-1647), Prince of Orange, his wife Amalia van Solms (1602-75) and their three youngest daughters, Albertina Agnes (1634-96), Henrietta Catharina (1637-1708) and Maria (1642-88)
Group portrait with allegorical overtones of the children of Diederic Pietersz van Leyden van Leeuwen (1628-1682), burgomaster of Leiden, and Alida Paets (1625-1673)