Lot 200: THOMAS BEACH, R.A.

1738-1806 PORTRAIT OF THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM CRAVEN, 6TH BARON CRAVEN oil on canvas 242.5 by 304 cm.; 95 1/2 by 119 1/2 in.

Commissioned by William Craven, 6th Baron Craven (1738-1791); By descent in the Craven family to Cornelia, Countess of Craven, wife of William, 4th Earl of Craven (1868-1921); Mrs J. Menajed, by 1973; From whom purchased by a private collector, New York; By whom anonymously sold ('Property of a Private Collector, New York'), New York, Sotheby's, 17 January 1985, lot 129; With Thomas Agnew & Sons, London; Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 18 April 1996, lot 13, for £15,000.

This portrait shows the children of William Craven, 6th Baron Craven, of Benham Park, Berkshire, and his wife, the notorious author, playwright and traveller Lady Elizabeth Berkeley (1750-1828), later styled Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach, at the back of the group, wearing a black bonnet, stands the eldest daughter, Elizabeth (1768-1799), holding one of her younger brothers. On the far left, wearing a green jacket and yellow waistcoat and trousers, is William (1770-1825), later Major-General, 7th Baron and 1st Earl of Craven, to the left of whom stand his three younger sisters, Maria, Georgina and Arabella, together with their nurse, who holds the other brother, either Harry or Keppel. Studies for the figures of the three girls and figure group on the right, the first three of which ware signed and dated 1776, were sold in the by direction of the administrators of the estate of the 7th Earl of Craven, at Phillips, 11 December 1984, lots 50 & 52-4. The study for the figure group on the right was exhibited at Colnaghi's, in The British Face; A View of Portraiture 1625-1850, 1986, no. 41, and was later sold at Christie's, South Kensington, 31 May 2009, lot 98.