Lot 15: Peter Oliver (British, 1589-1647)

Frederick V, King of Bohemia and Elector Palantine (1596-1632), wearing black doublet, white ruff and blue ribbon of an Order, blue bice background
watercolour on vellum put down on playing card, signed on obverse with monogram PO, turned black wood frame
Oval, 48mm. (1 7/8ins.) high

Frederick, King of Bohemia (1619-20) and Elector Palatine (1610-20) as Frederick V. The Protestants of Bohemia deposed the Roman Catholic King Ferdinand and chose Frederick as king. Influenced by his minister Christian of Anhalt, Frederick accepted but did not receive the aid expected from his father-in-law, James I of England, and from the Protestant Union. After initial success, his supporters were routed at White Mt. (1620). Frederick thus lost Bohemia; from his short tenure came the derisive name, the Winter King. He was put under imperial ban and was stripped of all his remaining territories. The electorate was transferred to Maximilian I of Bavaria. These struggles were the first campaigns of the Thirty Years War.
Peter Oliver succeeded his father Isaac as producer of official images of the court, especially of Princess Elizabeth, wife of the present lot. He painted a number of portraits of Frederick, which can be found in the Buccleuch and Royal Collections, the present lot being particularly close to a version in the former collection, which bears an erroneous monogram and date I.O./ 1624, cf. S. Lloyd; Portrait Miniatures from the Collection of the Duke of Buccleuch, SNPG, 1996, no.26, p.77