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William Gandy (1655-1729) – ‘Portrait of Philippa Brown’

William Gandy (1655-1729)

Half-Length Portrait of Philippa Brown

Oil on canvas

Circa 1720

30 x 35 inches

Inscribed verso

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Description

William Gandy, though little known today, was arguably one of the most important native British portrait painters of the 17th and early 18th century. Stylistically, Gandy’s work follows the tradition of portrait painting introduced to England by Anthony van Dyck and continued via Peter Lely. The sitter in this newly discovered portrait has been identifed as Philippa Brown by a curator at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter. Philippa Brown was the daughter of Dr. William Musgrave, the Exeter physician and antiquary. She married Thomas Brown in Exeter Cathedral in 1720. The RAMM has two portraits of Philippa Brown in their collection and it is thought that our work acted as study for their three-quarter length, as Brown can be seen wearing the same reddish-brown velvet gown and blue shawl in both works:

William Gandy – Philippa Brown, nee Musgrave (c.1699-1735), Wife of Thomas Brown. Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.

Our portrait and the three-quarter length at Exeter are thought to have been executed in 1720 on occasion of Philippa’s marriage.

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