A80: Sir James Holburne
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© The Holburne Museum of Art, Bath
| Museum number | A80 |
| Title | Sir James Holburne |
| Object type | In category: Pictures » Painting |
| Date | Circa 1706 |
| People |
Attributed to de Medina, John Baptist (Flemish-Spanish painter, 1659-1710, active in Scotland) - Painter(s) |
| Place of origin | Europe » Northern Europe » British Isles » Great Britain » Scotland » Edinburgh |
| Condition |
Good |
| Dimensions |
76.0 cm height approximate sight 64.0 cm width approximate sight |
| Materials & techniques |
In categories: Pictures: Medium » Paint » Oil paint Pictures: Support » Canvas |
| Description |
Half-length portrait of a gentleman in armour, half-profile to left. Mid-brown long wig, white loosely-twisted cravat over full body armour. Dark background.In a carved and gilded frame. |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Subject |
Portrait |
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| Notes | This is the great-grandfather of Sir Thomas William Holburne (see Family Tree). Sir James Holburne (?1671-1737), grandson of Major-General James Holburne (who bought Menstrie Castle, near Stirling, in 1649), succeeded to the family estates in about 1691. He served as a volunteer in the Royal Army, keeping a defensive force at Menstrie. He was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia on 21 June 1706. Sir James gradually sold off the family properties, including Menstrie Castle in 1719, and moved to Edinburgh where he died in 1737. Sir James had a large family; his second son Francis, Admiral Holburne, was the grandfather of Sir Thomas William Holburne; he was succeeded by his eldest son James (d.1758), an advocate in Edinburgh. PREVIOUS ATTRIBUTIONS: 1867 Catalogue of Pictures: 'Portrait of Sir James Holburne, in armour - Admiral Holburne's father' Dining Room, no. 31. No artist given. Moeckler, 1902: Sir Godfrey Kneller Buttery: 'A school copy' 1936 onwards: School of Kneller Alastair Laing, National Trust (1988): 'Though abraded, of good enough quality to be autograph Kneller - it is certainly autograph somebody!' Richard Charlton-Jones, Sotheby's (1991): 'If Scottish, then almost certainly by Medina; Holburne was created Baronet in Edinburgh in 1706, which fits exactly with the time Medina was painting the Scottish nobility.' James Holloway, Scottish National Portrait Gallery (1992): 'I have no doubt that you portrait is by Medina. It is very close to many other portraits of his of which we have photographs.' During the 1970s this portrait was lent to the Assembly Rooms, Bath. |
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| Literature |
The Holburne of Menstrie Museum Catalogue: Part I: Pictures, Bath, 1936, no. 27 |
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| Muse theme | The Art of Collecting |
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| Muse chapter |
The History of the Holburne Collection » Sir William Holburne and his Collection » The Founder: Sir William Holburne of Menstrie (1793-1874)
Oil paintings in the Holburne Museum |
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| Gallery Labels |
Sir John Baptist de Medina (1659-1710) Portrait of Sir James Holburne (?1671-1737) This is the great-grandfather of Sir William Holburne, whose collection became the basis of this Museum. Sir James was the grandson of General Holburne of the Scottish Army, and he also served as a volunteer in the Royal Army, keeping a defensive force at Menstrie Castle, near Stirling, the ancestral home of the Holburnes. Sir James was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1706, a title that was passed down to Sir William Holburne. Medina was a talented Flemish artist who came to London in 1686. His prices undercut Sir Godfrey Kneller's, and he succeeded in capturing a large part of the portrait market. In 1693, under the patronage of Lord Leven he came to Scotland, without any serious rivals was able to paint Scottish nobility for twenty years. (Unknown) Sir John Baptist de Medina (1659-1710) Sir James Holburne. 1st Baronet, (?1671-1737), c.1706 Oil on Canvas Little is known of the life of Sir James, great-grandfather of Sir William Holburne, whose collection became the basis of this Museum. He was the grandson of General Holburne of the Scottish Army, and he also served as a volunteer in the Royal Army, keeping a defensive force at his ancestral home, Menstrie Castle near Stirling. Sir James was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1706, a title that was passed down to Sir William Holburne. He sold Menstrie in 1719, but the family retained the title "Holburne of Menstrie" until Sir William's death in 1874. The portrait painter John Baptist de Medina was born in Brussels of a Spanish family. He travelled to London in 1686, where his prices undercut those of the German Sir Godfrey Kneller, and he succeeded in capturing a large part of the portrait market.He settled in Edinburgh in 1693, where he had no serious rivals and was able to paint the Scottish nobility for twenty years. He was knighted in 1707.This painting hung in Sir William Holburne's Dining Room. (Unknown) John Baptist de Medina (1659-1710) Sir James Holburne, 1st Baronet Oil on Canvas c.1706 Collection of Sir Thomas William Holburne Sir James (?1671-1737), great grandfather of Sir William Holburne, served as a volunteer in the Royal Army, keeping a defensive force at his ancestral home, Menstrie Castle near Stirling. He was created a Baronet in 1706, and sold Menstrie in 1719, but the family retained the title 'Holburne of Menstrie' until Sir William's death in 1874. Sir John Baptist de Medina was born in Brussels of a Spanish family. He settled in Edinburgh, where he had no serious rivals and was able to paint the Scottish nobility for twenty years. (Unknown) |
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| Method of acquisition | Bequest | ||||||
| Provenance | Sir T. W. Holburne (1793-1874); by whom bequeathed to Mary Anne Barbara Holburne (1802-1882); by whom bequeathed to the Museum | ||||||
| Exhibition history |
Title of exhibition: Long-term loan |
