Portrait of Boulter Tomlinson

Portrait of Boulter Tomlinson
Portrait of Boulter Tomlinson
Portrait of Boulter Tomlinson
National Museum Wales, Cardiff
title=Credit line
Artist
Richard Wilson (1713/14-1782)
Title
Portrait of Boulter Tomlinson
Date
1740
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
Metric: 127 x 101.6 cm
Imperial: 50 x 40 in.
Accession Number
NMW A 5194
Wilson Online Reference
P5
Exhibited
Tercentenary 2014 (ex-cat exhibited at National Museum of Wales, Cardiff)
Provenance
Sold from Stoke Edith House, Herefordshire after 1947; with Agnew's, London; purchased by the National Museum of Wales, 1965
Signature/inscription
Signed and dated mid-right on base of column: R. Wilson 1740
Techniques and materials
The red ground, perhaps a commercial preparation, is a little unusual but the flesh tones are underpainted in grey, as is normally found in Wilson's work. X-radiography shows that the initial design was for a simple landscape background. No underdrawing visible in infra-red light.
Mount inscriptions
Frame inscribed: Boulter Tomlinson married Sarah Foley. Painted by R. Wilson at the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden 1742
Subject
Boulter Tomlinson was a gentleman who lived in Cheltenham and married Sarah Foley, daughter of Thomas Foley and Mary Wharter of Stoke Edith House, Herefordshire
Critical commentary
The columns and fountain indicate that the sitter wished to be represented as a man of some wealth
Previous Cat/Ref Nos
1965.1
More Information
John Steegman recorded the painting at Stoke Edith in 1947, when he noted the inscription on the frame
Condition/Conservation
Kate Lowry has noted: Original linen canvas has simple weave with about 13 threads per sq. cm. Original turnovers removed at time of lining. An old right-angled tear in original canvas at lower left in fountain and small hole to left of sitter's chin repaired by lining. Pine stretcher probably dates from present lining. Commercially prepared oil ground is red in colour. Flesh is underpainted with an opaque grey tone whilst the background has a transparent warm brown underpaint. Notable decorative pattern of lace cuffs achieved by drawing with the brush handle in wet paint. No underdrawing visible in infra-red light but X-ray suggests a landscape may have originally been planned for the upper background. Widespread mature cracks. No drying cracks.