Not Lady Jane Grey but Mary Nevill Fiennes, Lady Dacre
Reports appeared in the popular media in March 2025 highlighting new evidence put forward in support of Lady Jane Grey Dudley as the sitter in a portrait included in an exhibition at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. This article examines this evidence from an alternative perspective and reasserts the previous identification of the sitter as Mary Nevill Fiennes, Lady Dacre
An attribution for the portrait of Sir Arthur Hopton and his secretary
A well-known portrait of Sir Arthur Hopton has failed to attract a convincing attribution – until now
Hogarth’s house at the Golden Head, Leicester Fields
Hogarth’s chose a ‘golden head’ of Anthony Van Dyck as the sign of his profession: a gilded cork bust that he created and placed over the entrance to his house at No. 30 Leicester Square. This article examines the significance of this symbol and explores Hogarth’s household and business activities on that site
The Welshman in A Rake’s Progress by William Hogarth (1697–1764)
The presence of Welshmen in the fourth scene of Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress has often been noticed. But the identity of the Welsh gentleman responsible for the arrest of the Rake has not been recognized, nor even speculated upon. He is identified here for the first time, and further ramifications of the introduction of references to Wales in Hogarth’s series indicate that the artist is pointing to the contemporary divisions within the Hanoverian royal family
Canaletto, the Sandby brothers and ‘Mr Crowle’
In 1747 Canaletto painted a view of Windsor Castle which carries a tantalising note in its frame, the interpretation of which leads to an intriguing exploration of the circumstances in which the picture was made. The precise location where Canaletto was positioned to take the view is identified and the artist’s interaction with the Sandy brothers is examined
The life of Charles Philips (1703–1747) with a checklist of his works
The life of Charles Philips (1703–1747) is fully traced here for the first time together with a full checklist of his works
Sketches Taken at Print Sales by Paul Sandby (1731–1809)
The British Museum has an etching by Paul Sandby showing portrait heads of 54 men. There are two different contemporary sources for identifying the individuals, which are usually but not always in agreement. Almost all have been identified but this essay supplies three of the five missing names, and explores the world of those attending print auctions at the time
Identifying a mystery portrait by Arthur Devis (1712–1787)
An Arthur Devis portrait at the French Hospital in Rochester, Kent, has long been thought to show the Huguenot Gainsborough Dupont, nephew of Thomas Gainsborough. Here it is identified as another autograph version of a portrait of William Hall, 2nd Viscount Gage
Did Ben Nicholson and Jim Ede take advantage of Alfred Wallis?
Ben Nicholson and Jim Ede each bought a great many paintings by Alfred Wallis soon after he was ‘discovered’ in St Ives, in the late summer of 1928. They paid what seem trivial sums of money for them. Were they taking advantage of a lonely, isolated, semi-literate retired sailor? This question has often been asked and there are many aspects to be considered when seeking the answer.
Carel Weight during the Allied occupation after the Second World War
Carel Weight RA was an official war artist covering aspects of the Allied Forces’ occupation of Italy, Austria and Greece from May 1945 to February 1946. The long letters that he wrote to his partner Helen Roeder in London described his experiences