The catalyst for this catalogue was the unrepeatable opportunity to acquire last year themajority of the most important early British portraits from the contents sale of CowdrayPark held by Christie’s, combined with portraits that were sold by Sotheby’s as part of the lastremnants of the Earls of Elgin and the Marquesses of Ailesbury great collection that descendedat their ancient Savernake estate in Wiltshire. These paintings, along with the others which I havegathered together for this publication, are all notable for their distinguished provenances. Asportraits, whilst clearly tangible manifestations of lives and fashions long past, their significancehowever transcends the purely representational; for they also stand witness to the history of thegreat country houses which they adorned, the notable collections of which they formed a part,and of course to the often colourful lives and times of their former owners.
