Artwork
Vincent Corbet of Ynysmaengwyn 1651-1713
Vincent Corbet of Ynysmaengwyn 1651-1713 is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales. The work is an oil portrait of Vincent Corbet of Ynysmaengwyn (1651–1713).
About this work
Overview
The work is an oil portrait of Vincent Corbet of Ynysmaengwyn (1651–1713). Rendered in a darkened setting, the figure stands with his left hand on his hip, dressed in a brown coat over a white shirt. His direct gaze and solemn expression convey a formal presentation typical of late‑seventeenth‑century portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
Vincent Corbet, a member of the Welsh gentry, is depicted with attention to his attire and bearing, suggesting status and personal dignity. The plain background focuses attention on the sitter, while the subtle landscape hints at his connection to the land he owned, reinforcing his identity as a landowner of Ynysmaengwyn.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting employs a restrained palette and careful modeling of light and shadow, creating a sense of depth through chiaroscuro. The textured brushwork on the coat and the soft rendering of the face illustrate the artist’s skill in balancing realism with the dignified composure expected in aristocratic portraiture of the period.
History & Provenance
The portrait dates from the early eighteenth century, shortly after Corbet’s death in 1713, and has remained associated with the Corbet family estate. It entered the regional collection in the twentieth century, where it is now displayed as a representative example of Welsh gentry portraiture from the post‑Restoration era.
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
