According to the dealer’s website, “Although the sitter’s identity is unknown at present, he was evidently part of Beale’s close circle of ecclesiastical patrons. The boy is shown dressed in classical robes and seated in a verdant landscape, gesturing to a steepled church in the distant landscape; the subject is ostensibly secular, albeit one with Christian undertones. During a time heavily influenced by religious beliefs, subtle allusions to faith were frequently incorporated into portraiture. In this instance, the young boy is shown with a lamb and crook, attributes of St John the Baptist, who lived an austere life in the wilderness.” Also, a white dog with brown ears sits on the ground, next to the boy’s left knee.
Portrait of a Young Boy Seated in a Landscape, 1680s, by #MaryBeale (née Cradock; English, 1633-1699), who was born #otd, Mar 26. Held by Philip Mould & Company, philipmould.com/artists/45-m... #artherstory #womenartists
