Portrait of Charles I with detail of picture frame, 1633-c1638.
Painted by Remigius (Remy or Remee ) Van Leemput. Private Collection
This painting is a version of Van Dyck's famous portrait in the Royal Collection of Charles 1 with M. de St. Antione of 1633.In this version the king's riding master and equerry and a triumphal arch and surrounding architectural details have been removed and painted over. This version and the original have a theatrical effect of baroque illusion, drawing attention to the king as warrior and knight, and to his divine right to rule. The idea of depicting the king on a horse stems from a long tradition of classical and Renaissance equestrian monuments .
The inventory M4/20 reveals the name of the artist who executed this work as 'Rameye' or Remigius (Remy or Remee ) Van Leemput of Flemish or French origin who was working as a copier of Van Dyck's work from October 1635.This version must be a very early copy of the Van Dyck original and made between 1633 and 1643, probably with the King's approval and knowledge, perhaps a gift to his loyal collector courtier. The king is known to have given pictures to Hamilton. For example he gave him a Madonna after Raphael now in the Warsaw National Museum to Hamilton in 1638.
The early frame (see above) is carved with acorns and oak leaves and probably dates from the restoration period, the motifs referring to Charles II hiding in an oak tree after the battle of Worcester in 1651, escaping detection and death. The frame has been later strengthened by mounting on wooden additions. The painting remained in the Hamilton collections through the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and is mentioned in many of the major inventories. In the 1820s the 10th Duke removed the picture to the dining room in his new massive north wing development.
In the 1882 Hamilton Sale the picture was bought by the dealer H. Durlacher. At this point it was cut down perhaps to accommodate it in a new display area and additions were made to the border of the frame surrounding the oak and acorn border.
The painting is listed in the following inventories:
Hamilton Inventory M4/20 Entry 292
Hamilton Inventory M4/21 - 'The twenty sixt case '
Hamilton Inventory M4/22 - 'An Inventory of the Pictures that are Rolled [Up] This is 26 Case'
Hamilton Inventory M12/1 Page 5 Line 1 - In the Drawing Room
near Her Grace's [3rd Duchess's] Bedchamber
Inventory of 7 June 1759 (M4/48) entry 30
1876 Inventory Page 3
1882 Illustrated Priced Catalogue Page 12 Cat 32
It can also be seen in the Dining Room : Annan Photographs:08 Album 2
