Lot 125: Thomas Roberts

Thomas Roberts
1748-1778
a view of slane castle, the seat of lord conyngham
oil on canvas
39.5 by 58.5 cm., 15 1/2 by 23 in.
Slane Castle, which lies beside the River Boyne in County Meath, was originally owned by the Fleming family who had been created Lords of Slane by Edward III. Following the defeat of James II, the Flemings had their lands forfeited and in 1703 Slane was acquired by Brigadier-General Henry Conyngham. Conyngham at once set about rebuilding the castle, and an early ground plan suggests that he incorporated an early 17th century stronghold in the designs. A design for the house exists, probably by George Garret, and shows an arresting four-towered entrance (clearly visible also in Roberts's painting) and a strangely asymmetrical roof.
General Conyngham was killed in action in 1706, whilst work on the house was still in progress, and the estates passed to his son Henry, later first Earl Conyngham, who had an active public career and was an enthusiastic traveller. He rarely came to Slane, but Arthur Young, who visited the castle in June 1776, noted that 'Lord Conyngham's keeping up Slane Castle, and spending great sums, though he rarely resides there, is an instance of magnificence not often met with'.
On his death in 1781, Slane passed to his nephew William Burton, 2nd Earl Conyngham, who began the extensive rebuilding of Slane in 1785, to designs by James Wyatt.
Another version of this composition was sold in these rooms on 2nd June 1995.
Provenance:
Christie's, 27th June 1958, lot 144 (as of Dartrey House by William Ashford), where bought by the father of the present owner