George Romney

(British, 1734-1802)

Cornelius Heathcote (1754-1825), c. 1767

oil on canvas

30 x 25 in. (76 x 63.5 cm)

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

The present Lot will be on view at Freeman's Upper East Side galleries located at 32 E. 67th St in New York, May 6-11, 10am-5pm weekdays; 11am-5pm Saturday, May 9; closed Sunday, May 10.

Provenance:

By descent to Mrs. G. Locker Lampson, Barlborough Hall, Derbyshire, 1932

By descent to Mrs. F. Rimington Wilson

Sold: Christie's, London, June 23, 1978, Lot 119

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Literature:

Alex Kidson, George Romney: A Complete Catalogue of His Paintings, vol. 1, New Haven & London, 2015, pp. 301-301, no. 644, illus. (as untraced, and erroneously listed as sold through Sotheby's in 1978)

Lot Note:

The present portrait depicts Cornelius Heathcote, son of John Heathcote and his wife Millicent, née Satterthwaite, of Lancaster. In 1768, Cornelius took the additional name Rodes on succeeding to his uncle's estate of Barlborough, Derbyshire. As he remained unmarried, the estate was succeeded by his nephew Cornelius Heathcote Reaston Rodes.

According to Alex Kidson, in his catalogue raisonné on the artist, this portrait is not mentioned in the Romney literature. In 1932, It was seen by Ellis Waterhouse at Barlborough in when, as later recorded, it was attributed to Wright of Derby. Despite the similarities between Romney's and Wright's portraits in the 1760s, the attribution to Wright does not seem correct on the basis of photographs. It is possible that the portrait was painted when Romney was traveling between London and Lancashire in 1767, and that he stopped in Derby, partly in order to consort with Wright, but also to paint a few portraits. Cornelius's uncle, whose estate he was about to inherit, lived in the county.

George Romney (British, 1734-1802)

Cornelius Heathcote (1754-1825), c. 1767

George Romney (British, 1734-1802)

Cornelius Heathcote (1754-1825), c. 1767