Object Description
Watercolour on vellum.
Born in 1615, Richard Gibson, famously known as “Dwarf Gibson”, navigated a remarkable career that endured through the tumultuous reigns of Charles I, Oliver Cromwell and Charles II. Standing at a mere 3 feet and 10 inches tall, Gibson was a lifelong courtier, recognized for his artistic talents and intriguing personal life.
He started his career as a page to a lady in Mortlake, where he already showed great artistic aptitude. His talents eventually led him to the court of Charles I, quickly capturing the attention of Queen Henrietta Maria. It was through Henrietta that Gibson met his wife, Anne Shephard (1625-1707) a serving lady to the queen who shared his short stature. Their marriage produced nine children, five of whom reached adulthood and pursued careers of their own, notably Susannah-Penelope Rosse, who followed in her father’s footsteps as a miniature painter. Gibson’s connections extended beyond the English court; he was patronized by the Earl of Pembroke, spending considerable time in Holland where he served as a drawing-master to Princess Mary of Orange.[1]
It is believed that Gibson was first taught painting by Francis Cleyn (c.1582-1658), German-born painter and tapestry designer who lived and worked in England, and later by Peter Lely. Gibson’s technique, noted for its thick pigments and parallel striations, give his works an impasto quality.[2] His close relationship with Lely, likely to have started through their shared relationship with the Fourth Earl of Pembroke, is evident in Lely’s famous double portrait of Gibson and Anne, probably commissioned by Philip Herbert [3] shortly before his death in 1649, and now in the Kimball Museum.
This particular (and rather unflattering) portrait miniature has yet to be identified but can be dated between 1655-60 based on stylistic comparisons. An almost identical version was last sold at Bonhams in 2004 [4] unfortunately also unidentified. Although her jewelled shoulder decoration and large drop pearls earrings suggest her high status, she wears no pearl necklace – a characteristic incredibly common in Gibson’s portraits of court women.
[1] Daphne Foskett, Samuel Cooper and his Contemporaries, National Portrait Gallery, 97
[2] Richard Gibson, Grove Dictionary of Art
[3] Murdoch, John, and V. J. Murrell. “The Monogramist DG: Dwarf Gibson and His Patrons.” The Burlington Magazine123, no. 938 (1981): 282–91. http://www.jstor.org/stable/880238.
[4] Unknown woman, From Bonhams Fine Portrait Miniatures 11478 17 November 2004
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/richard-gibson-british-1615-1690-4-c-ypkgm0skkq