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Allegorical Painting of Two Ladies, English School

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17th century painting
Allegorical Painting of Two Ladies

Allegorical Painting of Two Ladies, English School is a 17th century painting by an unknown artist. For its time period, the painting is considered unusual and "extremely rare" in its depiction of a black woman and a white woman sitting side-by-side as equals.

Description

The painting depicts two women, one black and one white, sitting next to each other covered in beauty patches. The painting is unusual for the time in its depiction of the sitters as equals. The women are presented as companions with similar dress, makeup, hair, and jewelry. The work was created circa 1650 and subverts traditional portraiture ideals of the time period. The painting likely doesn't represent real sitters, but may have contextual relevance within contemporaneous British print culture.

Above the women is the inscription, "I black with white bespott you white with blacke this evil proceeds from thy proud hart then take her, Devill". The writing is likely intended to be moralizing, condemning the use of cosmetics and especially beauty patches, which were popular adornments at the time. In 1650, an act to forbid beauty patches was introduced to Parliament, although it was not passed.

Provenance

The painting originates from the estate of Lloyd Tyrell-Kenyon (1947–2019), 6th Baron Kenyon. Tyrell-Kenyon was quoted as saying in 1949 that “We have a curious picture which has hung here for many years, but of which I know of no real explanation.” It was held at his manor house in Shropshire, England since at least the nineteenth century.

Export bar and acquisition

On 23 June 2021, the painting was sold at a small auction house in Shropshire with an estimate of £2000-4000. There was a fierce bidding war due to the inherent sociological interest of the allegorical depiction of a dark-skinned woman, and the final sale price was £220,000 with a 20% buyer's premium. It was the highest sum ever paid for an item at the Shropshire auction house.

After its sale, the purchaser applied for an export licence. The British government subsequently barred the painting from export in the hopes that a UK institution could purchase the painting within a time limit, a routine action intended to prevent overseas buyers from acquiring culturally important artworks.

The painting's export bar was set to be deferred on March 9, 2022. On 23 June 2023, The Guardian reported that the painting had been "saved" for Britain by Compton Verney Art Gallery for £300,000, with the help of grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Victoria and Albert Museum valued at £154,600 and £50,000 respectively.

References

  1. ^ "'Extremely rare' 17th-century painting featuring Black woman placed under export bar by UK". TheGrio. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  2. Sana Noor Haq. "'Extremely rare' 17th-century painting of Black woman with White companion placed under export bar from UK". CNN.
  3. "Export bar placed on 17th century painting exploring race and gender". Belfasttelegraph.
  4. Department for Digital, Cultural, Media, & Sport (December 10, 2021). "Rare painting from 17th century at risk of leaving UK". GOV.UK.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Chesters, Laura (14 December 2021). "Rare 17th century English School allegorical painting barred from export in hope it is saved for the nation". www.antiquestradegazette.com. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  6. The June Fine Art & Antique Auction (23 June 2021). "English school, circa 1650, Portrait of two ladies, both half length, Patch marks". www.the-saleroom.com. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  7. ^ Capon, Alex. "Pick of the week: £220,000 for enigmatic faces of the Interregnum".
  8. Sanderson, David. "Export bar on painting of race equality" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  9. "Rare painting from 17th century at risk of leaving UK".
  10. "The U.K. Has Barred a Rare 17th-Century Portrait of an Upper-Class Black Sitter from Export to Give Museums the Chance to Buy It". 13 December 2021.
  11. "'Highly unusual': lost 17th-century portrait of black and white women as equals saved for UK". 23 June 2023.
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