HANDEL, George Frideric 1685-1759

Large [?]late 18th century three-quarter-length portrait painting on canvas in oils by an unidentified artist. After the original full-length portrait executed by Thomas Hudson in 1756

The composerl is sitting, facing right, wigged, wearing a shirt with ruffled lace cuffs, plain collar, and lace jabot under a long gray-green coat with edging elaborately embroidered in gold. His left hand is extended inside his coat and his right holds a glove (possibly added later). A tricorn hat is wedged between his upper left arm and the left side of his body.

Stretcher size 48" x 23.5" (121.5 x 59.7 cm); overall size including wooden frame 52" x 39" (132 x 99 cm).

Some surface cracking and chipping to background, not affecting figure; evidence of several small repairs to background and rear portion of Handel's hat; several small abrasions to lower edge with minor loss of paint; relined. The later (?19th century) addition of the glove at Handel's right hand is curious.

Hudson (1701-1779) was a noted British portrait painter. His portrait of Handel was commissioned by Charles Jennens, the librettist of Handel's Messiah, and is held at the National Portrait Gallery in London (NPG 3970). In the original Hudson portrait (94" x 57.5") the composer is depicted full-length, seated on a blue chair next to a table on which rests an open score of the Messiah, a cane in his right hand, a sword positioned to his left, with a view of a lightly clouded blue sky in the background.

Item #41230

Price: $4,500.00  other currencies