18th Century Portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh After the Historic Lennard Tradition

18th Century Portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh After the Historic Lennard Tradition English School Oil-on-Panel Portrait With Woolley & Wallis Provenance and Verso Inventory Mark FY 730 Highlights: * English School, 18th century * Portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh * Oil on wood panel * Bust-length within a painted oval * Related to the later Lennard portrait tradition * Historic verso stencil FY 730 * Documented Woolley & Wallis provenance * Subsequently museum exhibited * Decorative aged gilt frame A characterful 18th Century English School portrait of Sir Walter Raleigh, the celebrated Elizabethan courtier, explorer, soldier and writer. Raleigh is shown bust-length within a painted oval wearing a richly coloured red coat, elaborate white ruff and broad black feathered hat. Further research places the composition within the later visual tradition surrounding the celebrated Lennard Type of Raleigh. The reverse bears the clearly legible historic black stencilled inventory mark FY 730. Its original collection, dealer or auction-house source has not presently been identified and the mark is retained as an important provenance research lead. Sir Walter Raleigh Raleigh became one of the defining personalities of Elizabethan England. Soldier, courtier, explorer, poet and writer, he was knighted in 1585 and became closely associated with English overseas exploration. Following the accession of James I, Raleigh spent many years imprisoned in the Tower of London before his execution in 1618. His remarkable life ensured that his likeness continued to fascinate subsequent generations. Provenance: Private Southern England collection, according to accompanying documentation. Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury, Old Masters, British & European Paintings, 5 March 2025, Lot 156. Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. Subsequently loaned & privately exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire. Verso bearing historic black stencilled inventory mark FY 730. Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution: The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record. Attribution and Research: The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available evidence, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market. These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations. Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art. Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. We are committed to offering collectors works of artistic and historical merit accompanied by transparent provenance research, detailed catalogue descriptions and professional, client-focused service. Additional photographs and further information are available upon request.