Is the Lady for Real? Hugh Belsey

Furman Magazine Volume 55 Article 5 Issue 2 Summer 2012

6-1-2012 Is the Lady for Real? Hugh Belsey

Elizabeth Hamlett

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Recommended Citation Belsey, Hugh and Hamlett, Elizabeth (2012) "Is the Lady for Real?," Furman Magazine: Vol. 55 : Iss. 2 , Article 5. Available at: https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/furman-magazine/vol55/iss2/5

This Article is made available online by Journals, part of the Furman University Scholar Exchange (FUSE). It has been accepted for inclusion in Furman Magazine by an authorized FUSE administrator. For terms of use, please refer to the FUSE Institutional Repository Guidelines. For more information, please contact [email protected]. n the drawing room of appraised by Sotheby’s, the fine By Hugh Belsey & White Oaks, the Furman art auction house. Elizabeth Hamlett president’s home, a portrait When the appraisers Is the Lady for Real? of a woman hangs above examined Portrait of Lady Impey, Ithe fireplace. With an almost however, they were perplexed. imperceptible expression she Although Mrs. Daniel had The history gazes upon the room, which been told the painting was is adorned with antique art a Gainsborough, they were and mystery and furniture. not convinced. The painting, Portrait of Lady Impey, is the Many paintings have been falsely attributed of White Oaks’ crown jewel in a collection that was carefully to Thomas Gainsborough, and the high prices his acquired by Charles and Homozel Mickel Daniel, works commanded between 1880 and 1930 brought signature generous Furman supporters who were the original many spurious paintings onto the market. The owners of White Oaks. Charles Daniel’s company appraisers felt that this was one of those cases. painting. built many of the original buildings on campus, and The staff at Sotheby’s believed that the portrait the university’s dining hall and chapel are named in was instead painted by Gainsborough’s nephew, his honor. Mrs. Daniel, for whom the music building Gainsborough Dupont, who often copied or com- is named, dedicated much time to collecting 18th- pleted his uncle’s works. As if to prove the serious- and 19th-century European antiques to furnish ness of their assessment, they valued the portrait their Georgian-style home. at less than one-sixth of the original 1975 purchase Although she owned many beautiful pieces of price. While the university accepted the Sotheby’s art and furniture, Mrs. Daniel seemed intent upon evaluation, questions remained about the painting purchasing a “masterpiece” painting for White and its provenance. Oaks. Toward this end, in the fall of 1975 she and several friends took a trip to New York City. IN 2010 THE CASE WAS REOPENED Although she and her husband, who died in 1964, when Andrew Impey, great-great-great-great-great had collected many fine paintings, none would grandson of Lady Impey, read an article online be so easily recognized or widely praised as the about White Oaks that mentioned the portrait. works by Renoir, Corot and Gainsborough that He contacted Furman from his home in the she and her friends perused during their visit to United Kingdom. M. Knoedler & Company. Over the next two years he and Elizabeth After some contemplation and correspondence Coker Hamlett, Furman’s collections manager, with the gallery, Mrs. Daniel settled on a painting corresponded about the painting and its origin. by the acclaimed English artist Thomas Gainsbor- Along the way they learned that there is at least ough — his 1786 half-length portrait of Lady Mary one other painting that is purported to be the Impey, the wife of an imperial judge in India. Gainsborough portrait of Lady Impey. In doing Mrs. Daniel proudly displayed the painting in research on the second painting, however, Hamlett the most prominent room in White Oaks, where discovered that Furman’s portrait matched exactly it has remained. the dimensions of the original Gainsborough paint- When she died in 1992, she bequeathed White ing— lending credence to the idea that Furman Oaks and all of its contents to Furman. The next owned the real thing. year, the many fine pieces in the home were Given this finding, Andrew Impey asked

2 FURMAN | SUMMER 2012 FURMAN | SUMMER 2012 3 n the drawing room of appraised by Sotheby’s, the fine By Hugh Belsey & White Oaks, the Furman art auction house. Elizabeth Hamlett president’s home, a portrait When the appraisers Is the Lady for Real? of a woman hangs above examined Portrait of Lady Impey, Ithe fireplace. With an almost however, they were perplexed. imperceptible expression she Although Mrs. Daniel had The history gazes upon the room, which been told the painting was is adorned with antique art a Gainsborough, they were and mystery and furniture. not convinced. The painting, Portrait of Lady Impey, is the Many paintings have been falsely attributed of White Oaks’ crown jewel in a collection that was carefully to Thomas Gainsborough, and the high prices his acquired by Charles and Homozel Mickel Daniel, works commanded between 1880 and 1930 brought signature generous Furman supporters who were the original many spurious paintings onto the market. The owners of White Oaks. Charles Daniel’s company appraisers felt that this was one of those cases. painting. built many of the original buildings on campus, and The staff at Sotheby’s believed that the portrait the university’s dining hall and chapel are named in was instead painted by Gainsborough’s nephew, his honor. Mrs. Daniel, for whom the music building Gainsborough Dupont, who often copied or com- is named, dedicated much time to collecting 18th- pleted his uncle’s works. As if to prove the serious- and 19th-century European antiques to furnish ness of their assessment, they valued the portrait their Georgian-style home. at less than one-sixth of the original 1975 purchase Although she owned many beautiful pieces of price. While the university accepted the Sotheby’s art and furniture, Mrs. Daniel seemed intent upon evaluation, questions remained about the painting purchasing a “masterpiece” painting for White and its provenance. Oaks. Toward this end, in the fall of 1975 she and several friends took a trip to New York City. IN 2010 THE CASE WAS REOPENED Although she and her husband, who died in 1964, when Andrew Impey, great-great-great-great-great had collected many fine paintings, none would grandson of Lady Impey, read an article online be so easily recognized or widely praised as the about White Oaks that mentioned the portrait. works by Renoir, Corot and Gainsborough that He contacted Furman from his home in the she and her friends perused during their visit to United Kingdom. M. Knoedler & Company. Over the next two years he and Elizabeth After some contemplation and correspondence Coker Hamlett, Furman’s collections manager, with the gallery, Mrs. Daniel settled on a painting corresponded about the painting and its origin. by the acclaimed English artist Thomas Gainsbor- Along the way they learned that there is at least ough — his 1786 half-length portrait of Lady Mary one other painting that is purported to be the Impey, the wife of an imperial judge in India. Gainsborough portrait of Lady Impey. In doing Mrs. Daniel proudly displayed the painting in research on the second painting, however, Hamlett the most prominent room in White Oaks, where discovered that Furman’s portrait matched exactly it has remained. the dimensions of the original Gainsborough paint- When she died in 1992, she bequeathed White ing— lending credence to the idea that Furman Oaks and all of its contents to Furman. The next owned the real thing. year, the many fine pieces in the home were Given this finding, Andrew Impey asked

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Gainsborough expert Hugh Belsey spent an intense day examining the Lady Impey portrait. The label attached to the back of the painting and the inscription etched in the canvas added intrigue to the investigation, given the alterations to the painting over the years. Photos by Jeremy Fleming. a friend at the National Portrait Gallery in paint it? If he did, when was it painted? Who is DURING HIS EXAMINATION BELSEY Arthur Conan Doyle based the character So now that we know THAT London to review photos of Furman’s painting. the sitter? And how has it changed? He concedes found that the portrait had all the traits of of Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes’ adversary — the Furman portrait is indeed a Thomas The curator confirmed that the painting looked that you can try to answer each question from a canvas that had been on the market for some was eventually tracked down and the painting Gainsborough, what of its future? Should like a Gainsborough, but said the only way to a good reproduction, but when you are asking time. The canvas was relined, a process that returned to London. It was immediately sold it be restored so that it is closer to its original © Born in 1727 in Sudbury, Suffolk. know for certain was for the painting to be the first and the final questions, ideally you need strengthens the painting’s support by sticking to J. Pierpont Morgan and remained in his 18th-century appearance? Or should the © Worked in Suffolk, Bath and London. examined in person by a Gainsborough expert. to see the painting itself. a second canvas to the back of the original one. family until the Duke of Devonshire purchased changes in the portrait be considered part Last fall, Impey contacted the foremost expert In his lecture, Belsey explained that Lady But in this case, the relining had not been care- it in 1994. of its history? © Master of 18th-century portraiture on Thomas Gainsborough’s life and works: Hugh Impey was the wife of the Chief Justice of Bengal, fully executed, and the weave of the canvas had The excitement surrounding the painting One concern Belsey noted is that, con- and landscapes. Belsey, a senior research fellow at the Paul Mel- where the couple developed an appreciation for been forced through the original paint layer. of the duchess produced many column inches, sidering its condition, any effort to restore © Credited with more than 900 lon Centre for Studies in British Art in London Indian culture, collecting Mughal miniatures and The painting also sported a French-style and enterprising china manufacturers popular- the painting might actually cause more harm portraits of English sitters, including who was curator at the Gainsborough’s House allowing their children to dress as natives. Mary frame. In the 1780s, Gainsborough’s head-and- ized it in busts, full-length models and transfer than good — even though its value, which commissions from the royal family, museum in Sudbury for 23 years. Belsey has Impey was particularly interested in the local shoulder portraits were generally painted in an prints. The duchess’ image was as popular as Furman chooses not to disclose, has already and more than 200 landscapes. written extensively about Gainsborough and flora and fauna and commissioned three native oval shape on a rectangular canvas and presented Gainsborough’s Blue Boy, his most acclaimed been diminished by the modifications it has has probably examined more Gainsborough artists to make drawings of her family. in a simple rectangular frame. An oval slip, work, and it inspired Edwardian women to undergone through the years. © Founding member, Royal Academy paintings than anyone. For the past eight years When the Impeys returned to London in a piece of decorative molding that fits inside wear a broad-brimmed hat decorated with an Perhaps the answer is best provided in of Arts. he has been compiling a complete catalog 1783, they maintained their interest in art. Three a larger frame, covered the unpainted corners ostrich feather. It is likely that, to comply with the context of the portrait’s display. Portrait © Inspired by the work of Van Dyck of the artist’s portraits. years later, on April 20, 1786, the Morning Herald of the canvas. For whatever reason, the art contemporary fashion, such a hat was added of Lady Impey remains the centerpiece of the and Rubens. Belsey agreed to visit Furman in March to newspaper first mentioned a Gainsborough por- market wanted a rectangular canvas in a rec- to Lady Impey’s portrait. White Oaks drawing room and is a monument examine the portrait. His one request was that trait of Lady Impey, reporting that “those who tangular frame, and so at some point it appears Belsey also noted “disturbances” in the to Mrs. Daniel’s taste. That deserves some © Influenced noted 19th-century he present a public lecture, which was quickly have seen it praise it as descriptive of her Lady- that someone painted in the corners of the surface of the paint layer in Lady Impey’s respect, and so, in this case, arguably the artist John Constable, also arranged. Furman’s Decorative and Fine Arts ship’s unaffected manners and natural character.” portrait to fit the frame. dress that appear to show some changes in the painting should be left as it is. a native of Suffolk. The portrait would pass through a number The portrait had been tinkered with in other costume. Originally she may have worn a gauze Committee, which oversees the university’s As Martha Johns, wife of former Furman © Best known painting: Blue Boy of hands. It was inherited by one of Lady Impey’s ways as well, probably in some misguided effort scarf over her chest, and the decoration around almost 3,000-piece collection of art and president John Johns and a resident of White (c. 1770), an homage to Van Dyck. antiques, sponsored Belsey’s visit. daughters, who married Sir Robert Affleck, and to “improve” it. Lady Impey’s hair had been the neckline may have been a dog-tooth lace Oaks from 1992 to 1994, said, “It’s not perfect, During two whirlwind days he examined eventually descended to the wife of her grandson altered and a hat added, perhaps to mimic the collar rather than a gauze flounce, which would but it’s our Gainsborough.” |F| © Died in 1788. Portrait of Lady Impey and delivered a lecture (Maria Emily, or Lady Affleck). Lady Affleck look of another Gainsborough work with a be in tune with the style of her slashed sleeves. on the painting to a full house in Patrick Lecture offered it for sale at auction; it was bought by famous back story: his portrait of Georgiana, Indeed, the brushstrokes across the chest are Visit the Events and Exhibitions link at Hall. At the end of his presentation, he revealed Marquess George Curzon, who, as a former Duchess of Devonshire, which dates to 1785. clumsy and uncharacteristic of Gainsborough’s http://library.furman.edu/dfac to see Belsey’s that Furman’s painting is the true Gainsborough Viceroy of India, no doubt knew that the subject In 1876 the portrait of Georgiana was pur- style. Perhaps during cleaning a restorer dis- lecture. Elizabeth Coker Hamlett is a 2002 portrait — although it has undergone serious of the portrait had shared his fascination with chased by a London art dealer for what at the covered an earlier costume beneath that was Furman graduate. modifications through the years. the subcontinent. Curzon’s nephew sold the time was a record for a painting at auction: too damaged to expose, and replaced the dam- As an art historian who approaches the dis- painting in 1930, after which it passed from $51,540, according to The New York Times. aged area with the arrangement we see today. cipline as a connoisseur, Belsey poses the same dealer to dealer until M. Knoedler & Company Three weeks later it was stolen in a dramatic questions for each painting: Did Gainsborough sold it to Mrs. Daniel. night raid. The thief, Adam Worth — on whom

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