Credit: ©The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9665
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Portrait of Henry Spelman
Date
ca. 1628
Sitter
Henry Spelman (1563 - 1641, British) , Antiquary
Creator
Studio of Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen (1593 - 1661, British) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 675mm
width (painting): 510mm
width (painting): 510mm
Subject
Description
Head and shoulders portrait of Henry Spelmen, bearded, wearing a dark robe, ruff collar, with a gold and silver embroidered or lace cap.
Transcription
D.HENRICUS SPELMAN EQ. ANTIQUARIUS
Library 4
Sir Henry Spelman
Sir Henry Spelman (1561-1641) by D.Mytens
302
SIR HENRY SPELMAN, (1561-1641) by D.MYTENS
Library 4
Sir Henry Spelman
Sir Henry Spelman (1561-1641) by D.Mytens
302
SIR HENRY SPELMAN, (1561-1641) by D.MYTENS
Object history
Presented by William Spelman, 1703.
The donation of this painting is recorded in the Society’s Journal Books: “Mr Bembde [John Van de Bemde FRS (c.1655 – c.1726)] brought Sir Henry Spelman’s Picture, being presented to the Society by W.Spelman Esqe. Who was Order’d to be thanked.” [Royal Society Journal Book. Original, JBO/11, meeting of 9 February 1703, p.42].
The artist’s name was not noted at time of donation and a traditional attribution to the Dutch painter Daniel Mytens (c.1590-before 1648) seems to originate in Charles Richard Weld’s catalogue of portraits. [Descriptive catalogue of the portraits in the possession of the Royal Society, by Charles Richard Weld (London, Taylor and Francis, 1860), p.63]. However, the version in the National Portrait Gallery, London, is considered to be after Cornelius Johnson and there is a least one more version, Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery.
The donation of this painting is recorded in the Society’s Journal Books: “Mr Bembde [John Van de Bemde FRS (c.1655 – c.1726)] brought Sir Henry Spelman’s Picture, being presented to the Society by W.Spelman Esqe. Who was Order’d to be thanked.” [Royal Society Journal Book. Original, JBO/11, meeting of 9 February 1703, p.42].
The artist’s name was not noted at time of donation and a traditional attribution to the Dutch painter Daniel Mytens (c.1590-before 1648) seems to originate in Charles Richard Weld’s catalogue of portraits. [Descriptive catalogue of the portraits in the possession of the Royal Society, by Charles Richard Weld (London, Taylor and Francis, 1860), p.63]. However, the version in the National Portrait Gallery, London, is considered to be after Cornelius Johnson and there is a least one more version, Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery.
Associated place